Scapegoat

In 1978, the arrest of Tommy Lee Hines

The arrest of Tommy Lee Hines, a young black man with the mental capacity of a six-year-old, shook the city of Decatur, Alabama. This gripping story chronicles the untold narrative of an intellectually disabled man who finds himself trapped in a web of systemic racism, prejudices, and a legal system that needs reforming. As the sequence of events unfold, author Peggy Allen Towns captures the tragedy of Tommy Lee Hines that inspired a movement for change.

Meet courageous individuals and face opposition

Throughout the pages of this book, you will meet courageous and extraordinary individuals who took risks and believed it was their duty to seek justice. You also will encounter hostile counter-demonstrators and their warring tempers, as they hold on to the ideology of the Old South.

The powerful account of Decatur's Scapegoat

This powerful, heart-wrenching account of Decatur's Scapegoat not only explores the sacrificial offerings, but unmasks biases and inequalities that compelled the conscience of some to take progressive steps to eradicate racial injustice. The efforts of social reform advanced equal opportunities for a more unified city in the struggle of fairness for all. And the struggle continues.