by Sam Gentry

Distinguished photographer/photojournalist/artist/philanthropist/writer Jan Banning is back in the United States from the Netherlands to continue his quest to help free a woman he believes was wrongly incarcerated over 26 years ago.

Banning believes Christina Boyer, who has been in Pulaski Women’s Prison in Hawkinsville, Georgia for the death of her three-year-old daughter, Amber, was unquestionably wrongfully imprisoned.

As stated in the June print edition of StarNews (visit starnewsgaonline.com for complete story), Banning- who has published numerous photography books around the world – was working on a new series about women in prison when he first met Boyer.

After being given permission to conduct a photo shoot at Pulaski (and four others in the state) by the Georgia Department of Corrections, Banning set up his studio and began working with the women.

After completing the sessions and returning home, Banning decided to dig deeper into the stories behind the women he had taken photos of (He was not allowed to have discussions with them during the sessions). Banning wanted to tell as much of a story about each of the prisoners as possible. After he began putting together what he deemed to be the best photographs, he started researching the women on the internet. He found a great deal of intriguing information, he said, but one story stuck out to him the most. The story of Christina Boyer.

Testimony and evidence from the trial Banning found through various resources led him to believe his suspicions that Boyer couldn’t feasibly be guilty of the crime she was serving time for.

Banning continued to collect as much information as he could on Boyer and her case, speaking to officials, gathering police and medical reports, talking with people involved in the case, communicating with medical experts, meeting and discussing the case with like-minded people who believe in her innocence, and corresponding with Boyer on many occasions. In fact, he recently had the dreadful task of telling Boyer her latest chance at parole had been denied.

“We knew it was going to be devastating,” he said. “It was one of the most horrific phone calls I’ve ever had in my life. I think she expected nice news. It was horrible – it was horrible.”

Now on his third trip back to Carroll County in 2018, Banning is continuing to speak with lawyers and law experts, but his main goal this time around is build up as much public awareness of her case and her story as possible in an attempt to grow a community of people who are willing and able to help make the case for her to be released.

“Basically, there are only two main roads to getting her out,” Banning said. “Trying to get her out through legal means, and the other one is the more public awareness and then public pressure approach.”

Her next parole hearing, which was scheduled for April of 2019, has now been moved to September, and Banning said he will remain hard at work to convince as many people as possible that she needs to be released during the extended waiting period. He said the change in the parole hearing timeframe was devastating for Boyer and those involved in helping to prove her innocence.

During his second visit to America over the summer, Banning sought the help of professors and students at the University of West Georgia. Also during that visit, Banning caught the attention of the head of the Law department at Georgetown University who told Banning he found the story to be “haunting.”

“They [Georgetown] are interested in taking on Christina’s case in an exoneree class in the spring of next year,” Banning said. “They have an agreement with a film company to make six documentaries, and Christina is a candidate for the second one. If that works out it would be broadcast next spring or the autumn after. It’s a long process, but it’s very promising.”

In addition, Banning said there are indications Kennesaw University is also showing an interest in “getting onboard” as well.

This grassroots approach will hopefully, Banning said, raise awareness of Boyer’s case and then public outcry will persuade the parole board to accept her parole next time around.

“My idea is to combine the three disciplines of academics, the arts, and journalism to try to get Christina exonerated and free,” Banning said.

Banning was invited to give a presentation at Georgia State University during his most recent visit to the U.S.

“They made a very professional and good impression on me,” Banning said. “I hope to bring several faculties together to help.”

Dr. Toby Bolsen, a distinguished professor of political science at GSU, initially invited Banning to GSU. Bolsen said Banning’s presentation was quite interesting and a success by all accounts.

“Mr. Banning delivered a very well-attended and well-received presentation today at Georgia State University,” Bolsen said.  “He spoke to an interdisciplinary audience that included faculty and students from across the university, including psychologists, sociologists, political scientists, lawyers, and criminal justice majors. Jan explained the details of Christina’s Boyer’s case to faculty and students. He has committed himself to fighting for justice in this case by working to raise awareness about the facts. Jan’s photographs of his work and testimony regarding Christina’s case were compelling and heartbreaking at the same time.”

Banning recently communicated with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Douglas Blackmon, who has now shown an interest in Boyer’s case.  Furthermore, renowned author, Lauren Markham is now discussing the story with several media editors nationwide after talking with Banning.

“I have to go on and keep pushing and try to be intelligent about it and use other intelligent people for advice and to cooperate,” he said.

As an artist and photojournalist, Banning is also planning to do a “visual project about her case” with her participation. The project would include Boyer’s own photographs from before her conviction, photographic recreations of Boyer’s personal life with her commentary on what the images invoke in her mind, and images which would include documents pertaining to the case. Banning recently contacted Boyer and asked if she would like to be more involved in the project in whatever fashion she would be able, and she agreed.

After mounds of research and studying the case profusely, Banning now believes quite possibly Amber died as a result of an accident which occurred days earlier. One thing is for certain, Banning trusts that whatever happened to Amber, Boyer played no part in the actions that led to her death.

“One thing is clear,” he said. “Christina could never have done it.”

Why is it so important for him to see her released? Banning has always believed in justice, and has chronicled instances of grave injustices throughout his professional career.

“If you look at my work you can see that it’s always been about social and political themes,” he said. “It’s almost always about the struggle between big systems or big historic events and small people. In other words, it has been about these human beings who were executing this machinery – or it is about the victims of it.”

Although Banning said he tries to remain objective while working on artistic endeavors, the Christina Boyer case affected him.

“We’re talking about somebody’s life here,” he said. “It’s a horrible situation, and it is a huge injustice. It’s a person who has been grinded by a system, and that makes me very sad and very angry.”

Banning’s photography has been featured in Time, National Geographic, Newsweek, Virginia Quarterly Review, and The New Yorker, to name a few. Around the world, his work has been highlighted in publications in Japan, China, Holland, France, Russia, Germany, and many other countries. A full list of his accolades can be found at janbanning.com.

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta has a number of Banning’s photographs as well from his series “Bureaucratics “and a series called “Down and Out in the South” (partly done in Atlanta). Other museums around the country and the world also have his works on display. Furthermore, he has held exhibitions in more than 25 countries on five continents.