billy roy pitts had been involved in the killing of vernon damar, dropped his gun, got caught. he was researching how many time these guys like pitts actually served in prison in mississippi. because it was a bit of a joke. governors pardoned some of these guys, they commuted their sentences. there were only a few convicted, but the ones who were convicted didn't spend much time in prison. and so i was researching each one of those and i got to him, and he -- i couldn't find any record of his state time but i was told he went in the federal witness protection program. so i was checking with the federal bureau of prisons to see how much federal time he did. so i'm talking to the archivist there, she pulled his file. i said, i understand he had a five-year federal sentence. she said yes. i said, how much time did he actually serve? she said, 3 1/2 years. i said, okay. and i said, now, i understand he left federal prison and the witness protection program. she said, that's impossible. i'm like, what are you talking about? she says, there was no federal witness protection program ba

after same bowers was convicted billy ray pitts testified in a hearing and when he got done he walked to the back of the courtroom and he ran into mrs. damar. billy roy pitts apologized to mrs. damar and asked her to forgive him for killing her husband. and she forgave him. and she began to cry. he began to cry. isn't that really what it's all about, redemption, trying to make things right even when they've gone so terribly wrong in the past. may god bless you in your journey of redemption. thanks so much. >> this is my contact information in case you want it and every day on facebook and twitter i post today in civil rights history if you are so inclined and or you can email me. >> good to see a cl alum. >> it's a regular clarion-ledger reunion. >> which is. we should just bring the rest of you up. so i want to start off by asking you a question about one of the biggest stories that you covered along the way which was the release of the records for the sovereignty commission. >> yes. >> you mentioned to the audience before and just to remind folks it was a state agency. >> yes, it was. >> is that set up, specifically to spy. >> yes. >> on people wor