Phillip Jackson with a traditional Chilkat blanket, a gift from a friend, at his home in Haines (Corinne Smith/KHNS)

In Haines, November 24 marks the anniversary of “Phillip Jackson Appreciation Day.” The day honors the Haines resident, who was wrongfully convicted of arson and imprisoned for four and a half years in the 1970s. As KHNS’ Corinne Smith reports, the state has not fully exonerated him, even though another man confessed to the crime.

 

When Phillip Jackson was cleared in 2002, Haines Mayor Mike Case declared a holiday in his name. The proclamation reads:

“Recently, Phillip was exonerated of a crime he always said he didn’t commit. The citizens of Haines are very pleased that this great burden has been lifted from him.”  

Haines resident Phillip Jackson is now 69-years-old, and says the 2002 dedication was a special day, and a chance to put what happened behind him. 

“I was just totally shocked, you know, that the truth finally came out.”

Jackson is Lingit and grew up in Haines. He says he was a “welfare child” and was raised by Austin and Lillian Hammond at the Raven House. In 1973, the 21-year-old was accused of arson at the Haines school. He maintained his innocence, but was swiftly convicted and sent to prison. 

“The trial lasted three and a half days, and everybody kept pointing the finger at me, and I’m going like wow, you know, this is unreal,” Jackson said. “But going to jail and getting locked up wasn’t something anyone could look forward to. But I held my own, and I had to come to a realization that I was gonna be doing time, so I did.”

Jackson served four and a half years, and spent three and a half on parole — a total of eight years bound to the corrections system. 

“So, I lost a lot but I gained a lot you know.. I just feel bad about.. I could have been a gillnetter. I had to sell my permit, I was forced to sell it.”

Jackson was cleared when another Haines man confessed to setting the fire at the school. He says the man was in Alcoholics Anonymous, and inspired to make amends for his actions 30 years ago. 

“I was actually dumbfounded, but I’m just glad that that he spoke up,” he said. “But as far as I’m concerned, with the state, I don’t like the way they treated me. They ignored my, my truthfulness,” Jackson said.

The state of Alaska has still not exonerated Jackson, citing a lack of clear and convincing evidence. After his appeal was denied in 2005, he says he burned all the paperwork and put it behind him.

In prison, Jackson helped start one of the first native cultural awareness programs in the state. 

“Native cultural awareness, (first) we got two teachers, math and English teachers so the natives who didn’t have their GED got their GED. Then as time went on, we were able to get tools and everything, and whatever these artists needed, a lot of them were really good artists.”

He was in his early 20s and far from home, but found support with other native men incarcerated with cultural activities and traditions like potlatches and dance performances. He also helped others work on their cases and they supported each other through their prison time.  

When Jackson got out, he stayed connected to his heritage and moved on with his life. He said it took several years before he decided to come back to Haines, but moved back and worked in various trades: fishing and logging, then as a longshoreman, and later as a maintenance man for the senior village. 

Jackson is retired now. He says he’s enjoying his life, his friends and volunteering his time to help his community. 

“I could have had my own home, I could have been rich, you know, but I’m rich in my own way,” he said. “I help out in my own way. I’m a native, a Tlingit. And my job is to take care of all my elders around here, I pick berries for everybody. I get fish for people, me and my buddy. And we don’t ask for anything in return, you know, just a smile on the face, you know, and so that’s what I do.”

Jackson says he feels honored by Haines recognizing his exoneration, and it’s a sense of pride and dignity restored.