Justice Denied: A Wrongful Conviction Buried by Power and Politics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Justice Denied: A Wrongful Conviction Buried by Power and Politics

I am speaking out because the truth in this case was never hidden. It was suppressed. Murray Lawrence Jr has spent more than 20 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. The reason he is still there is because the four men who built the case against him, despite a lack of evidence, now hold higher office today. Court records and the Innocence Project findings show that key exculpatory evidence was suppressed during the trial.

FOUR KEY FIGURES STILL CAST A LONG SHADOW OVER THIS CASE

Robert Wilters

Role in 2005: Presiding Circuit Court Judge in Baldwin County for Murray Lawrence Jr’s capital murder trial. Role Today: Baldwin County District Attorney (since approximately 2015). Relevance: As trial judge, he made critical rulings that allowed the prosecution’s case to proceed despite major evidentiary inconsistencies. Today, he holds the top prosecutorial position in the county and continues to influence how the DA’s office handles cases and postconviction relief including rejecting the filing of Rule 32 in 2023.

Anthony Lowery

Role in 2005: Chief Investigator with the Baldwin County District Attorney’s Office. He testified during Murray’s trial. Role Today: Current Baldwin County Sheriff, appointed by Governor Kay Ivey. Relevance: Lowery played a direct role in building the case against Murray. His rise to sheriff places him in control of law enforcement operations across Baldwin County and in a position of power over local investigations and institutional accountability. He is currently seeking election to retain that office in 2026.

Huey ‘Hoss’ Mack

Role in 2005: Lead Investigator and Captain in the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office. Testified at trial. Allegedly coerced the real killer, Jarius McNeil, into shifting blame onto Murray. Role Today: Serving in a newly appointed state level position after retiring as Baldwin County Sheriff. Relevance: Mack orchestrated the original investigation, controlled access to evidence including the body’s handling at his own funeral home, and played a powerful role in shaping the narrative of guilt. His leadership established a law enforcement culture that remains in place.

David Whetstone

Role in 2005: District Attorney for Baldwin County. Prosecuted Murray and offered a plea deal to the real killer, Jarius McNeil. Role Today: Retired. Relevance: Whetstone is the architect of the prosecution’s strategy. He openly admitted in court that he made a deal with the devil to secure Jarius’ testimony, despite knowing it was unreliable. His tactics and decisions are central to the prosecutorial misconduct claims.

Murray was at home with his girlfriend at the time of the murder. He did not know the victim, Brandon Hastings. There was no physical evidence tying him to the crime. No DNA. No fingerprints. No murder weapon. Just the word of a confessed killer, who had already admitted to the crime but changed his story after being threatened with the death penalty.

The State claimed Brandon was shot in Alabama. The autopsy proved he was strangled in Mississippi. Instead of correcting course, the prosecution went forward anyway, changing the narrative to fit their theory, not the facts.

Jurors were improperly influenced. Alibi witnesses were never called. Forensic evidence was ignored. And Murray’s court appointed lawyer told him not to testify. He never got to speak in his own defense.

This is not just about a wrongful conviction. It is about a pattern of suppressed evidence and prosecutorial misconduct that has never been addressed. Those responsible have only risen in rank, and without public pressure, they will never be held accountable. This is an egregious injustice. Murray Lawrence Jr has lost two decades of his life. If the media and public do not act now, he may never get the justice he is owed.