Following a three-judge panel that unanimously upheld convictions in the 2002 murder of Nathaniel Jones, two of the Winston-Salem Five, who have maintained their innocence for over 20 years, are speaking out.
Brothers Rayshawn Banner and Nathaniel Cauthen remain incarcerated, while Christopher Bryant and Jamel Tolliver, who have already served their sentences, vow to continue the fight to clear their names. The 2022 ruling has deepened the divide between the families involved. Jones’ relatives, including NBA All-Star Chris Paul, are seeking closure, and the convicts’ families are determined to prove what they deem the truth.
In 2020, the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission’s investigators found what they deemed enough evidence to prove the group’s innocence. This led to a hearing in April 2022 where three Superior Court judges reviewed evidence. They looked at claims of procedural errors, DNA analysis and witness credibility. However, on April 28, the panel unanimously ruled to uphold the 2002 convictions, citing a lack of compelling evidence to overturn the original verdicts.
Christopher Bryant and Jamel Tolliver, already having served their time, expressed heartbreak over the judges’ decision.
“We should’ve never been locked up, but I feel sorry for everybody that thinks they got the right people,” Tolliver said.
Teresa Ingram, the mother of Rayshawn Banner and Nathaniel Cauthen said this case has been a part of her family’s lives for over two decades.
“I have lived this case for 23 years,” Ingram said. “Yes, ma’am. That’s my time invested. Just to be comfortable with the fact that you got the wrong people.”
Robin Paul, Jones’ daughter and the mother of NBA star Chris Paul, and her sister Rhonda expressed heartfelt gratitude to the district attorney’s office for their help through the case. Both Robin and Rhonda shared that they hope the recent ruling will finally provide the closure their family has sought for over two decades. The daughters of Jones reflected on the emotional toll the repeated court proceedings have taken on their family. They emphasized their desire for this to be the last time they testify on behalf of their father.
The Winston-Salem Five case is representative of the complexities of the current legal system. There was no physical evidence, nor were statements following the crime fully consistent with one another. The Five hadn’t agreed on who was part of the beating or who played what role in the crime. Agreement on the weapons used was also not present. Such contradictions raise questions about the reliability of the confessions and testimonies that formed the crux of the prosecution’s case. Legal experts argue that overturning convictions based on recanted testimony or procedural errors is an uphill battle.
At the time of their arrests, the Winston-Salem Five were all teenagers, and defense advocates have argued that their confessions were coerced under pressure from law enforcement. Law enforcement had suggested during interrogation that the Five may receive the death penalty under North Carolina law. Minors were not eligible for this punishment under North Carolina law.
The fight for exoneration presses on and with it raises questions about the reliability of new evidence and the treatment of juveniles under the legal system. For the family of Nathaniel Jones, this recent ruling is a step toward closure after two decades of uncertainty. For the convicted men and their advocates, it marks another chapter in their ongoing pursuit of justice.