"Brenton Butler: A Teenager's Ordeal and the Quest for Justice"

The Morning That Changed Everything

On May 7, 2000, in Jacksonville, Florida, 15-year-old Brenton Butler was on his way to apply for a job at Blockbuster Video. Unbeknownst to him, a tragic event had just occurred nearby: Mary Ann Stephens, a 65-year-old tourist from Georgia, was shot and killed outside a Ramada Inn. Police, acting on a vague description of the suspect as a young Black male, stopped Butler, who matched this general profile. Despite significant discrepancies between Butler's appearance and the initial description, he was taken into custody for questioning.

A Coerced Confession

During a prolonged interrogation lasting approximately 12 hours, Butler, without the presence of legal counsel or his parents, signed a confession to the murder. He later recanted, stating that he had been physically abused and coerced into confessing by detectives, including Michael Glover, the son of then-Sheriff Nat Glover. Photographs presented during the trial showed bruises on Butler's face, supporting his claims of mistreatment. ...Read More

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