The Sun Does Shine

by

Anthony Ray Hinton

Alan Black Character Analysis

Alan Black is a lawyer from EJI. After Santha Sonenberg gets a new job and stops representing Ray, Alan Black takes over. However, when Alan pursues a life in prison sentence for Ray rather than arguing Ray’s innocence, and after asking Ray for $10,000, Ray promptly fires Alan and asks Bryan Stevenson to represent him instead.
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Alan Black Character Timeline in The Sun Does Shine

The timeline below shows where the character Alan Black appears in The Sun Does Shine. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 13
Suffering, Community, and Support Theme Icon
A few months later, Ray’s new attorney, Alan Black, visits from Boston. They go over the case together, and Alan says that they... (full context)
Chapter 14
Discrimination and the Criminal Justice System Theme Icon
Alan Black asks Judge Garrett for money for new ballistics experts to investigate Ray’s case, which... (full context)
Chapter 16
Suffering, Community, and Support Theme Icon
Year pass: in 1994, Alan Black files an amended Rule 32 petition for Ray. In May of 1997, Henry learns... (full context)
Discrimination and the Criminal Justice System Theme Icon
The Death Penalty Theme Icon
Suffering, Community, and Support Theme Icon
Soon after, Alan Black brings Ray good news: he thinks he can get the state to consider life... (full context)
Chapter 17
Suffering, Community, and Support Theme Icon
After Ray fires Alan, he feels alone once again and fears getting an execution date without representation. Ray decides... (full context)
Optimism, Faith, and Choice Theme Icon
Suffering, Community, and Support Theme Icon
...Bryan’s foundation—the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI). Bryan answers, and Ray informs Bryan that he fired Alan. Ray asks Bryan to read the letter he just sent, and Bryan agrees. A few... (full context)
Suffering, Community, and Support Theme Icon
Bryan apologizes that Alan asked Ray for money, and he asks Ray to tell him his story. Ray explains... (full context)