John Hayes has always had a passion for the law. Growing up in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Hayes’ father served as the chief administrative judge for South Carolina’s 16th Judicial Circuit, and his mother served as U.S. Ambassador to WTO in Geneva, Switzerland. His parents’ dedication to the law encouraged John to start his own practice to provide a voice for his clients.
The recent pardon of the “Friendship Nine,” as reported by the New York Times, reinforced John’s conviction for justice. Hayes stated, “Fifty-four years ago, nine African-American men were sentenced for standing up to injustice in the heat of the civil rights movement. I am honored to call my father my role model and mentor for his pursuit of justice on this historic day as he clears John Alexander Gaines, Thomas Walter Gaither, Clarence H. Graham, Willie Thomas Massey, Willie Edward McCleod, Robert L. McCullough, James Frank Wells, David Williamson Jr. and Mack C. Workman.”
New York Times: 54 Years Later, South Carolina Court Clears ‘Friendship Nine’