The case was first heard in Scottsboro, Alabama, in three rushed trials, in which the defendants received poor legal representation. death The cases are sent to the lower court. Callahan denied the motion. She said none of the defendants had touched her or even spoken to her. [21][22] Local circuit judge Alfred E. Hawkins[23] found that the crowd was curious and not hostile. All the jurors agreed on his guilt, but seven insisted on the death sentence while five held out for life imprisonment (in cases like this, that was often an indication that the jurors believed the suspect was innocent but they were unwilling to go against community norms of conviction). Local attorney, Clarence Watts serves as co-counsel. The remaining "Scottsboro Boys" in custody, that of Norris, A Wright and Weems were at this time in Kilby Prison. Once he sent out the jury and warned the courtroom, "I want it to be known that these prisoners are under the protection of this court. [84], Attorney General Knight delivered his rebuttal, roaring that if the jury found Haywood not guilty, they ought to "put a garland of roses around his neck, give him a supper, and send him to New York City." Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. [128], Scottsboro: A Tragedy of the American South (1969) by Dan T. Carter was widely thought to be authoritative, but it wrongly asserted that Price and Bates were dead. there would be many more trials of the Scottsboro defendants over the years and each . the Scottsboro boys. The Scottsboro cases are removed from Judge Horton's The first jury deliberated less than two hours before returning a guilty verdict and imposed the death sentence on both Weems and Norris. In his closing argument, Leibowitz called the prosecution's case "a contemptible frame-up by two bums. Alabama is going to observe the supreme law of America. 15. [81] Wade Wright added to this, referring to Ruby's boyfriend Lester Carter as "Mr. Caterinsky" and called him "the prettiest Jew" he ever saw. Chief Justice Anderson's previous dissent was quoted repeatedly in this decision. 17. June: The sentences given to Norris, Andy Wright, and Weems are affirmed by the Alabama Supreme Court. Irwin "Red" Craig (died 1970) (nicknamed from the color of his hair) was the sole juror to refuse to impose the death penalty in the retrial of Haywood Patterson, one of the Scottsboro Boys, in what was then the small town of Decatur, Alabama. "[81], Leibowitz objected and moved for a new trial. The four had spent over six years in prison on death row, as "adults" despite their ages. . Olen Montgomery testified that he sat alone on the train and did not know of any of the referenced events. Price died in 1983, in Lincoln County, Tennessee. [98] He denied being a "bought witness", repeating his testimony about armed blacks ordering the white teenagers off the train. November 15: The pardon applications of all five defendants are denied by Graves. The Scottsboro Trial: A Timeline Courtesy: Morgan County Archives 1931 March 25: In the depths of the Depression, a fight breaks out between white and black young men who are riding as hoboes on. 15. "The Scottsboro Boys", as they became known, and their case have been thoroughly analyzed. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and other civil rights groups joined the ILD that year to form the Scottsboro Defense Committee, which reorganized the defense effort for the next set of retrials. Speaking of the decision to install the marker, he said, 'I think it will bring the races closer together, to understand each other better. November 17: Weems is released on parole. The ILD spearheaded a national campaign to help free the nine young men, including rallies, speeches, parades and demonstrations. The attorneys approached the bench for a hushed conversation, which was followed by a short recess. The Supreme Court suggests that lower courts review Patterson's case. prison convictions. He is sentenced to death by electrocution. June 22: Pending an appeal to the Alabama Supreme Court, the executions of the nine defendants are stayed. grants a In the question of procedural errors, the state Supreme Court found none. During the second trial's prosecution testimony, Victoria Price mostly stuck with her story, stating flatly that Patterson raped her. [4] Charges were finally dropped for four of the nine defendants. On March 25, 1931, after a fight broke out on a Southern Railroad freight train in Jackson County, Alabama, police arrested nine Black youths, ranging in age from 13 to 19, on a minor charge. When asked if she had been raped on March 25, 1931, Bates said, "No sir." "[118] The prosecution's closing argument was shorter and less "barbed" than it had been in the Patterson case. ", National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Communist Party USA and African Americans, False accusations of rape as justification for lynchings, "Scottsboro: An American Tragedy Transcript", "Governor Bentley's Statement on the Pardoning of the Scottsboro Boys", "The Trials of "The Scottsboro Boys": An Account", "American Civil Liberties Union report of change of venue testimony", "The Scottsboro Boys: Injustice in Alabama", "Doomed Man Confesses to Three Ax Murders", "The International Labor Defense | American Experience | PBS", "Scottsboro Boys pardon nears as Alabama comes to terms with its past", "Victoria P. Street Dies at 77; A Figure in Scottsboro Case", "More work ahead in Ala for Scottsboro Boys pardons", "Alabama posthumously pardons three Scottsboro Boys", "Scottsboro Boys Exonerated, But Troubling Legacy Remains for Black Men", "Leadbelly Let It Shine on Me: The Scottsboro Boys Free Song Clips, ARTISTdirect Network", "Direct from Death Row The Scottsboro Boys", "Without Fear or Favor: Judge James Edwin Horton and the Trial of the 'Scottsville Boys, "'Rights Still Being Righted': Scottsboro Eighty Years Later", Scottsboro Trials article in the Encyclopedia of Alabama. A crowd of thousands soon formed. Rape charges The prosecution presented only testimony from Price and Bates. [120], The case went to the United States Supreme Court for a second time as Norris v. Alabama. Patterson is involved in a barroom fight resulting in the 14. reversal are The Supreme Court sent the case back to Judge Hawkins for a retrial. In 2016, the site seemed to be showing its age. Daniel Anker and Barak Goodman produced the story of the Scottsboro Boys in the 2001 documentary. When Leibowitz accused them of excluding black men from juries, they did not seem to understand his accusation. Although the motion was denied, this got the issue in the record for future appeals. The Ku Klux Klan staked a burning cross in his family yard. "[83] He goes on to say that, "Until Wright spoke, many of the newspapermen felt that there was an outside chance for acquittal, at least a hung jury. He called the jury commissioner to the stand, asking if there were any blacks on the juror rolls, and when told yes, suggested his answer was not honest. . [124], Alabama Governor Bibb Graves instructed every solicitor and judge in the state, "Whether we like the decisions or not We must put Negroes in jury boxes. Why were 9 men arrested on the night of March 31, 1931? [citation needed], There was no evidence (beyond the women's testimony) pointing to the guilt of the accused, yet that was irrelevant due to the prevalent racism in the South at the time, according to which black men were constantly being policed by white men for signs of sexual interest in white women, which could be punishable by lynching. [76], Leibowitz next called Lester Carter, a white man who testified that he had had intercourse with Bates. Governor Robert J. Bentley said to the press that day: While we could not take back what happened to the Scottsboro Boys 80 years ago, we found a way to make it right moving forward. Leibowitz called in a handwriting expert, who testified that names identified as African-American had been added later to the list, and signed by former Jury Commissioner Morgan.[96]. The jury foreman, Eugene Bailey, handed the handwritten verdict to Judge Horton. [52], The Court upheld the lower court's change of venue decision, upheld the testimony of Ruby Bates, and reviewed the testimony of the various witnesses. [116] She said that there were white teenagers riding in the gondola car with them, that some black teenagers came into the car, that a fight broke out, that most of the white teenagers got off the train, and that the blacks "disappeared" until the posse stopped the train at Paint Rock. Supreme Court. Patterson and the other black passengers were able to ward off the group. Weems, [73], The prosecution withdrew the testimony of Dr. Marvin Lynch, the other examining doctor, as "repetitive." Norris later wrote a book about his experiences. April 9, 1933 : Haywood Patterson found guilty by jury and sentenced to death in . Who framed them? and Roy The defense again waived closing argument, and surprisingly the prosecution then proceeded to make more argument. and Ruby He was paroled and returned to prison after violating parole. On cross-examination he testified that he had seen "all but three of those negroes ravish that girl", but then changed his story. 16. After the Alabama Supreme Court upheld Pattersons conviction in June, and Norriss third trial ended in another death sentence, Andy Wright and Weems were both convicted of rape and sentenced to long prison terms as well. State The humiliated white teenagers jumped or were forced off the train and reported to the city's sheriff that they had been attacked by a group of black teenagers. The jury began deliberation on December 5. Roberson were He said that he had seen both Price and Bates get on a train there with a white man on the morning of the alleged rape. 30 days. October 29: Graves meets with the convicted defendants to consider parole. January 23: Clarence Norris dies. By this time, the case had been thoroughly analyzed and shown to be an injustice to the men. However, the Scottsboro defendants decided to let the ILD handle their appeal.[2]. 18. trials. But in March 1932, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the convictions of seven of the defendants; it granted Williams a new trial, as he was a minor at the time of his conviction. [55] About the courtroom outburst, Justice Anderson noted that "there was great applause and this was bound to have influence. The Scottsboro Boys were nine African American teenagers and young men, ages 13 to 20, accused in Alabama of raping two white women in 1931. April 9: Patterson is found guilty during his second trial. What did Haywood Patterson say caused the fight on the train? in the He had heard Price ask Orville Gilley, a white youth, to confirm that she had been raped. The landmark set of legal cases from this incident dealt with racism and the right to a fair trial. . The defense objected vigorously, but the Court allowed it.[42]. As a result of the pressure of the case, Watts becomes sick, causing Leibowitz to steer the defense. The trial of The case is overturned and sent to a lower court. [55], Anderson criticized how the defendants were represented. Thus far in the trial, Ruby Bates had been notably absent. [66], Leibowitz used a 32-foot model train set up on a table in front of the witness stand to illustrate where each of the parties was during the alleged events, and other points of his defense. [97][103], Lester Carter took the stand for the defense. [32], After the outburst, the defense of Patterson moved for a mistrial, but Judge Hawkins denied the motion and testimony continued. Governor Graves had planned to pardon the prisoners in 1938 but was angered by their hostility and refusal to admit their guilt. He had never lost a murder trial and was a registered Democrat, with no connection to the Communist Party. cases. The Scottsboro Boys were nine Black teenagers falsely accused of raping two white women aboard a train near Scottsboro, Alabama, in 1931. Anderson stated that the defendants had not been accorded a fair trial and strongly dissented to the decision to affirm their sentences. The conviction of Eugene Williams How long did the trials last? How long did the second set of trials last? How long did the jury take to re-convict the boys during the third trial? convicted Welcome to Famous Trials, the Web's largest and most visited collection of original essays, trial transcripts and exhibits, maps, images, and other materials relating to the greatest trials in world history. They were both suspected of being prostitutes and not only risked being arrested for it, but they could also have been prosecuted for violating the Mann Act by crossing a state line "for immoral purposes. The Last of the Scottsboro Boys, in 1979. During cross-examination by Roddy, Price livened her testimony with wisecracks that brought roars of laughter. That is a toy. FBI arrests Patterson, but Judge Horton, who had faced no opposition in his previous [25], Dr. Bridges testified that his examination of Victoria Price found no vaginal tearing (which would have indicated rape) and that she had semen in her for several hours. Trials begin in Scottboro before Judge A. E. Hawkins. For the last time now, stand back, take your finger out of his eye, and call him mister", causing gasps from the public seated in the gallery. A thin smile faded from Patterson's lips as the clerk read his third death sentence. The jury found the defendant guilty of rape and sentenced Patterson to death in the electric chair. Haywood Patterson's Decatur retrial began on November 27, 1933. Thomas Knight, Jr. by now (May 1935) Lieutenant Governor, was appointed a special prosecutor to the cases.[126]. "Famous Trials" first appeared on the Web in 1995, making this site older than about 99.97% of all websites. The defense moved for another change of venue, submitting affidavits in which hundreds of residents stated their intense dislike for the defendants, to show there was "overwhelming prejudice" against them.
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