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Gary Tyler
Gary Tyler, speaking at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2017
Born
July 19 1958 (1958-07-19) (age 65)
United States
Criminal status
Released April 29, 2016
Conviction(s)
First degree murder; reduced to manslaughter in a plea agreement
Criminal penalty
Death; commuted to life imprisonment; further commuted to 21 years imprisonment
Website
freegarytyler.com
Gary Tyler (born July 19, 1958), from St. Rose, Louisiana, is an African-American man who is a former prisoner at the Louisiana State Prison in Angola, Louisiana. He was convicted of the October 7, 1974 shooting death of a white 13-year-old boy and the wounding of another, on a day of violent protests by whites against black students at Destrehan High School in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. He was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder at age 17 by an all-white jury; he received the mandatory death sentence for that crime, according to state law. When he entered Louisiana State Prison (Angola), he was the youngest person on death row.
In 1976 the United States Supreme Court ruled in Roberts v. Louisiana that the state's death penalty law was unconstitutional, as it required mandatory sentences for convictions of certain capital charges, without consideration of mitigating factors. The Supreme Court ordered state court reviews and the commutation of sentences of persons on death row to the next lower level of punishment. Tyler's sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole for 20 years.
His defense appealed the conviction. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in 1980 that Tyler's trial had convicted him on "unconstitutional charges" and was "fundamentally unfair"; it remanded the case to the lower courts and ordered a new trial. But on state appeal, it changed its ruling in 1981, saying that attorney error by Tyler's original defense counsel did not allow redress. Tyler was recommended by the state parole board for a pardon, but governors had failed to act on this.
Many observers believe that Tyler was wrongfully convicted, as his trial and defense were seriously flawed. Tyler's cause was taken up again in 2007 by human rights organizations and a variety of public figures after his case was reviewed by a columnist of the New York Times. In 2012 the United States Supreme Court ruled that persons who were minors at the time of a crime for which they were convicted, could not be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, and applied this retroactively. It ordered state courts to review such cases. Tyler was released in 2016 after the state arranged a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which had a maximum sentence of 21 years; since he had already served nearly twice that, he was released from prison.
GaryTyler (born July 19, 1958), from St. Rose, Louisiana, is an African-American man who is a former prisoner at the Louisiana State Prison in Angola...
Committee, and also worked in support of the Wilmington 10, the RNA 11, and GaryTyler. When Angela Davis was acquitted, Parks introduced her to an audience...
as to describe Sandy as "GaryTyler Moore," a nod to Mary Tyler Moore, who played the similar Mary Richards on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and eponymous...
prisoner's defense committees, and supported the Wilmington Ten, RNA 11, and GaryTyler. When Angela Davis was acquitted, Parks introduced her to an audience...
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mother, being shot. GaryTyler, a black student, was arrested and later convicted of the murder. A federal appeals court ruled Tyler did not receive a fair...
Wilson, Kevin P.; Gaines, D. Bailey; Suárez, Francisco; Scoppettone, G. Gary; Tyler, Scott W. (2014). "Life in a fishbowl: Prospects for the endangered Devils...
characters from the American TV series What I Like About You. Holly Anne Tyler (portrayed by Amanda Bynes) is an unpredictable, somewhat in-your-face teenage...
(2021) UB45 (2024) List of best-selling music artists List of dub artists GaryTyler – biographical subject of a song by UB40 "UB40 | The BRIT Awards 2012"...
fathers ..." Nathaniel Code Derrick Todd Lee Wilbert Rideau Billy Sinclair GaryTyler Gerald James Bordelon – Executed in 2010 (last execution in Louisiana)...
Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of...
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concerned with social and political issues: "Tyler" was written about the young black American GaryTyler, who at the age of 17 was convicted by an all-white...
The Mary Tyler Moore Show (also known simply as Mary Tyler Moore) is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns and starring...
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on November 15, 2019, and included songs written by Gary Baker, Corey Crowder, Seth Ennis, Tyler Hubbard, Steven Lee Olsen, Daniel Ross, and Littrell...
(2000). Tyler Gerald Burrell was born in Grants Pass, Oregon, on August 22, 1967, the son of teacher Sheri Rose (née Hauck) and family therapist Gary Gerald...
pardon for Tyler in a racially charged environment where David Duke was gaining popularity and rising to prominent political power. GaryTyler had been...
Tyler Independent School District is an independent school district based in Tyler, Texas (USA). In addition to serving most of Tyler, the district serves...
John Bishop, Gary Sharp, and Connor Happer (Gms 1–3, 5–6) John Bishop, Gary Sharp, and Nick Handley (Gm 4) John Bishop, Mike Ferrin, and Gary Sharp (Gms...
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