Soledad O'Brien

Sometimes pain is a catalyst.

Before Dovey met Ray Crump, she wasn't sure she'd take on the case. She was skeptical. Which is understandable. Dovey was a lawyer. Being critical was her way. But everything changed when she met Ray in the D.C. jail. He couldn't give you a straight sentence. Talking about Ray is complicated. He's not alive to share his own story.

Before Dovey met Ray Crump, she wasn't sure she'd take on the case. She was skeptical. Which is understandable. Dovey was a lawyer. Being critical was her way. But everything changed when she met Ray in the D.C. jail. He couldn't give you a straight sentence. Talking about Ray is complicated. He's not alive to share his own story.

From everything we've read about him, it seems like Ray's intellectual capacity wasn't fully there. Dovey was no doctor, but that was her assessment. It sounds like if Ray were alive today, he might have been considered intellectually disabled. That said, Dovey thought that there was no way he could have plotted a murder. Here's historian Alexis Koh again.

From everything we've read about him, it seems like Ray's intellectual capacity wasn't fully there. Dovey was no doctor, but that was her assessment. It sounds like if Ray were alive today, he might have been considered intellectually disabled. That said, Dovey thought that there was no way he could have plotted a murder. Here's historian Alexis Koh again.

In her memoir, Dovey vividly recounts her conversation with Ray. She told him that his mother approached her and that his family and friends at Second Baptist Church were praying for him. But that day in jail, Ray was somewhere else. He wasn't responding to Dovey at all. It was like he was simultaneously there and gone. Finally, Ray spoke up. "'Lawyer, what is it they say I done?'

In her memoir, Dovey vividly recounts her conversation with Ray. She told him that his mother approached her and that his family and friends at Second Baptist Church were praying for him. But that day in jail, Ray was somewhere else. He wasn't responding to Dovey at all. It was like he was simultaneously there and gone. Finally, Ray spoke up. "'Lawyer, what is it they say I done?'

She grasped his hands and wrapped them in hers. He was being charged with first-degree murder." It wasn't clear if he got just how dire his situation was. Ray was disoriented and physically shaking. All he wanted to know was if the police were coming after him again. He said the police officer who brought him to jail had beat him. And when he claimed innocence, he was beaten again.

She grasped his hands and wrapped them in hers. He was being charged with first-degree murder." It wasn't clear if he got just how dire his situation was. Ray was disoriented and physically shaking. All he wanted to know was if the police were coming after him again. He said the police officer who brought him to jail had beat him. And when he claimed innocence, he was beaten again.

Dovey was horrified. It didn't matter how many times she experienced the wrath of Jim Crow. She never let herself become numb to it. Dovey asked Ray point blank, did you kill that woman? Ray cried. And then he responded, I didn't shoot nobody. Dovey took him at his word. She took the case for a simple fee of $1.

Dovey was horrified. It didn't matter how many times she experienced the wrath of Jim Crow. She never let herself become numb to it. Dovey asked Ray point blank, did you kill that woman? Ray cried. And then he responded, I didn't shoot nobody. Dovey took him at his word. She took the case for a simple fee of $1.

If he didn't do it, why did Ray tell the police he was fishing when they found him at the crime scene? Later, the police found his fishing gear in his home, not by the towpath. Now, on top of a murder charge, the police caught him in a lie. Yes, Ray admitted he lied. But he did it because he was afraid his family would find out what really went on that morning of October 12th, especially his wife.

If he didn't do it, why did Ray tell the police he was fishing when they found him at the crime scene? Later, the police found his fishing gear in his home, not by the towpath. Now, on top of a murder charge, the police caught him in a lie. Yes, Ray admitted he lied. But he did it because he was afraid his family would find out what really went on that morning of October 12th, especially his wife.

Every day, Ray walked to the corner where he'd get a ride to the day's construction job. But that morning, a woman he knew named Vivian gave him a lift, and they weren't going to a building site. They ended up at a liquor store. They picked up a bag of chips, some cigarettes, a bottle of whiskey, and headed to the canal. The two of them walked to a bank where Ray liked to fish.

Every day, Ray walked to the corner where he'd get a ride to the day's construction job. But that morning, a woman he knew named Vivian gave him a lift, and they weren't going to a building site. They ended up at a liquor store. They picked up a bag of chips, some cigarettes, a bottle of whiskey, and headed to the canal. The two of them walked to a bank where Ray liked to fish.

And then, as Ray told Dovey, some fooling around took place. I don't need to tell you more. You get the picture. After their date, Ray fell asleep on the rocks at the water's edge.

And then, as Ray told Dovey, some fooling around took place. I don't need to tell you more. You get the picture. After their date, Ray fell asleep on the rocks at the water's edge.

Yeah, I'll say. He was down by the towpath that day for a tryst. So relaxed he'd fallen asleep after they'd fooled around. Now, he had woken up a suspect. Suddenly, the police had a lot of questions for him. What was he doing in the area? Why was he wet? That's when Ray got scared and blurted out the fishing story. Now this was something.

Yeah, I'll say. He was down by the towpath that day for a tryst. So relaxed he'd fallen asleep after they'd fooled around. Now, he had woken up a suspect. Suddenly, the police had a lot of questions for him. What was he doing in the area? Why was he wet? That's when Ray got scared and blurted out the fishing story. Now this was something.

If Ray was telling the truth, his lover would confirm the story.