The Sun Does Shine

by

Anthony Ray Hinton

Sidney Smotherman Character Analysis

Smotherman is the assistant manager at a Quincy’s Family Steak House. A robber shoots Smotherman in the head, but Smotherman survives his wounds and identifies Ray as the attempted murderer. Later, however, Ray learns that the Alabama police informed Smotherman of Ray’s name before showing the man a lineup with Ray’s initials under his picture—a clear manipulation of Smotherman’s testimony.
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Sidney Smotherman Character Timeline in The Sun Does Shine

The timeline below shows where the character Sidney Smotherman appears in The Sun Does Shine. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 4
Discrimination and the Criminal Justice System Theme Icon
...at a Quincy’s Family Steak House in Bessemer, a gunman shoots the assistant manager Sidney Smotherman in the head. However, Smotherman survives his wounds and reports what happened to the police.... (full context)
Discrimination and the Criminal Justice System Theme Icon
...Birmingham Post Herald describing how Ray has been charged in the Bessemer robbery and shooting. Smotherman identified Ray as the man who shot him, and police recovered a .38-caliber pistol from... (full context)
Chapter 6
Discrimination and the Criminal Justice System Theme Icon
Suffering, Community, and Support Theme Icon
...Ray knows this is false, because the gun hasn’t been fired in 25 years. Second, Smotherman picked Ray out of a photo lineup and said Ray did it. Ray knows this... (full context)
Chapter 7
Discrimination and the Criminal Justice System Theme Icon
...anyone who could help them catch the killer. Reggie, who works at the Quincy’s where Smotherman was shot, testifies that Ray was the robber and says that Ray asked him two... (full context)
Chapter 18
Discrimination and the Criminal Justice System Theme Icon
Optimism, Faith, and Choice Theme Icon
...the evidence of bias in the trial: for example, the police gave Ray’s name to Smotherman before showing Smotherman a lineup that had Ray’s initials on his picture. Bryan also tells... (full context)