TOMMY LEE HINES is a 26-year-old mentally retarded citizen of Decatur, Alabama. Today he is an unwitting martyr in the struggle for civil rights.

In February, mid-March, and early May of this year, three white Decatur women were raped; $300 dollars was stolen from one of the victims. For weeks Decatur police searched for a black man fitting the rather vague description. On May 23 they arrested Tommy Lee Hines.

Up to that point, Hines had been quite comfortable at the Cherry Street School--a day-school for the retarded. Confident that he could do something on his own--independent of the school--he went to a factory on the day of his arrest and peeped in to apply for a job. One of the rape victims, an employee at the factory, called the police.

While the police were en route, Hines sat down and proceeded to fill out the four-page job application. He wrote "Tomny Hishs 509 ADC" all over the application, paying no attention to lines or margins. Witnesses said "he just sat there scribbling," as though he were engaged in something of great importance.

Upon arrival the police informed Hines of his rights. "Have you been to the post office lately?" they asked (one of the rapes occured near a post office).

"Yes, I went about six weeks ago," Hines replied.

"Why did you go to the post office?"

"To get some business papers."

"When you went, did you see a woman?"

"One time."

"Did you talk to her?"

"Sometimes."

"Did you rape her?"

"Yes."

"What did you do with the can?" (One case involved a can.)