The Scottsboro Boys
One can't go through this town without remembering the Scottsboro Boys.
The Scottsboro boys were nine black boys accused of rape in
1931. They, along with a
group of white boys were hoboing on a train. The white boys jumped
off the train and reported to the sheriff they had been attacked by a group of
black boys When the sheriff
boarded the train, two white girls said they had been raped, and all nine of
the black boys were arrested.
Despite the fact that one of the girls later recanted her
story, and said they had never even been touched, the boys were convicted in
three separate jury trials, but did not have adequate counsel. They were all white juries. One of the last juries did contain a black man, but he
voted along with the rest of the jurors to convict. They were also threatened at the beginning by a lynch
mob.
Eventually
charges were dropped for four of
the nine defendants . Sentences
for the rest ranged from 75 years to life. All but two served prison sentences. One was shot by a prison guard. Two escaped but were caught,
charged with other crimes and sent back to prison. The oldest prisoner escaped parole and went into
hiding in 1946. He was pardoned by
George Wallace in 1976 after he was found and wrote a book about his
experiences. One committed suicide. The last surviving defendant died in
1989. They all lived tragic lives. Even the two women lived tragic lives.
The case received nationwide notoriety and was considered to
be the case putting an end to all white juries. and lack of adequate counsel. It has been examined in literature, music, theatre, film and
television.
Just this month (May 2013), the Alabama legislature cleared
the path for posthumous pardons.
There are apparently a lot of legal documents and public hearings to be held before they
can be cleared.
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