14-year-old black boy executed in South Carolina.....exonerated 70 years later.....

[Cali_Democrat]

After seven decades, a black 14-year-old boy has been cleared of murder.

In 1944, George Stinney was convicted of murdering two white girls in Alcolu, South Carolina. He was executed via the electric chair after his white lawyer called no witnesses and performed no cross-examinations.

Judge Carmen Mullins vacated the conviction against Stinney on Wednesday, WISTV reports.

In January, a judge agreed to hear new testimony and arguments in the case.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/17/george-stinney-exonerated_n_6342148.html

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edit to add another article with more info:

When George Stinney Jr. was executed for the killings of two white girls in 1944, he was so small that the straps of South Carolina’s electric chair didn’t fit him properly, and he had to sit on a book for his electrocution.

Stinney was just 14 years old at the time and became the youngest person put to death in the United States in the 20th century. But this week, 70 years after the fact, Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen tossed out his conviction, which was reached after a trial that didn’t even last a full day and was never appealed. As the Associated Press noted, it took Mullen “nearly four times as long to issue her ruling as it took in 1944 to go from arrest to execution.”

“I can think of no greater injustice,” Mullen wrote in her 29-page order, the AP reported.

Stinney, who was black, was arrested for the beating deaths of two young girls in the segregated town of Alcolu. There wasn’t any physical evidence linking him the crimes, and he wasn’t allowed to see his parents after he was apprehended.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/12/17/judge-throws-out-teens-murder-conviction-70-years-after-his-execution/

[johnp3907]

1. Interesting tidbit:

If you go to the link to an an earlier story about the case being re-examined you see this about Stinney's lawyer:
"He normally handled civil cases and was running to be a legislator at a time when almost all voters were white."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/23/george-stinney-new-trial_n_4650905.html

[BeyondGeography]

2. Makes me physically ill

The Central Park jogger case, among many others, showed we haven't come very far since then.

[Raine1967]

14. That case has been quietly tucked away from the American people.

Virtually no one EVER mentions the Central PArk Jogger case. I am glad you did.

I think it would behoove everyone to watch this Documentary called The Central Park Five

[BeyondGeography]

20. There's a film in the works about George Stinney, 83 Days

http://www.ebony.com/news-views/film-to-explore-george-stinney-jr-execution-405#axzz3MCG1LdC0

[ohnoyoudidnt]

28. I didn't know about this case until Law and Order did an episode similar to it and I looked into it.

I know they model a number of their shows after real cases. Thanks for mentioning the documentary.

[Sunlei]

3. to late to even go after those who railroaded this child or find real murderers :(

[Baitball Blogger]

6. It's never too late to find out who did it,

and make sure they don't leave behind a false legacy.

[noiretextatique]

4. how many others were railroaded and killed?

not to mention the people who were lynched or murdered for the crime of having black skin? america: face your ugly, racist past, and fix the legacy that continues today

[WhiteTara]

7. Are you US citizen? If so, your post should read

...Face OUR ugly racist past and fix the legacy that continues today.

[noiretextatique]

8. WhiteTara...I am black

It is not MY past or present. It belongs to white america.

[WhiteTara]

10. Thank you for the clarification

you are so right, you have no shame in this. I apologize for my presumption!

[noiretextatique]

12. no apology necessary

but thank you for being so gracious

[WhiteTara]

13. my attempt in this life to be an

authentic and compassionate human. I fall short very often but thank you for your response!

[noiretextatique]

15. you are doing a good job

[Baitball Blogger]

5. I want this case reopened to find out who set him up.

I'm guessing that the culprits were either connected to the police, or had the power to control the investigation.

Justice will not be served until the guilty party is found.

[yeoman6987]

16. I would imagine most are long dead. 1944 was 70 years ago.

[Baitball Blogger]

19. If there is DNA evidence, there is hope.

[mythology]

34. There is almost certainly no DNA evidence

The case is more than 70 years old.

DNA evidence didn't get started in courts until the 1980s. And in South Carolina the evidence only needed to be kept until after Stinney was executed. So even if there was blood or hair evidence, it's long since been disposed of. Unfortunately in this case, probably the best that can be hoped for is that Stinney's name is cleared and those involved in the conviction have their names posthumously shamed.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. too late

[Cali_Democrat]

24. Indeed. nt

[lpbk2713]

11. They didn't even care about making it "appear" like a fair trial.

They should all be ashamed.

[nc4bo]

18. There's never any shame with the racist.

For people like this, even the bible-thumpers' version of hell is too good for them.

[nc4bo]

17. Such a horrible past this country has.....

and many boogeyman infested nightmares follows those guilty of racism and bigotry. It must be so god damned frightening for them every time they are faced with reminders of this history or a skin of varying different shades........there was no reckoning, no price paid, no reparations............

It is the same for Native Americans, for so many.

In this case, telling a lie over and over will never change the facts, never. The slave deserved to be burned to death or lynched or drowned - he shouldn't have done "X" or "Y". Fast forward to recent history, those n's shouldn't have done "X" or "Y" or the police would never have shoot to kill, that's what happens when you break the law.

Right.

Too bad the rest of humanity can't just bury the mouthbreathers under our feet as the rest of us continue to progress and evolve.

[Cali_Democrat]

21. More on this incredible injustice:

When George Stinney Jr. was executed for the killings of two white girls in 1944, he was so small that the straps of South Carolina’s electric chair didn’t fit him properly, and he had to sit on a book for his electrocution.

Stinney was just 14 years old at the time and became the youngest person put to death in the United States in the 20th century. But this week, 70 years after the fact, Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen tossed out his conviction, which was reached after a trial that didn’t even last a full day and was never appealed. As the Associated Press noted, it took Mullen “nearly four times as long to issue her ruling as it took in 1944 to go from arrest to execution.”

“I can think of no greater injustice,” Mullen wrote in her 29-page order, the AP reported.

Stinney, who was black, was arrested for the beating deaths of two young girls in the segregated town of Alcolu. There wasn’t any physical evidence linking him the crimes, and he wasn’t allowed to see his parents after he was apprehended.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/12/17/judge-throws-out-teens-murder-conviction-70-years-after-his-execution/

[AtomicKitten]

22. Our racial history is deplorable.

14 years old ...

[lenrely]

23. Re:

It's ironic who our changing culture chooses to exonerate and who it still kicks to the curb.

[Catherine Vincent]

25. I can't believe the racists back then had no shame in executing a child.

Even if the child was black. They didn't go with life in prison? Even if they thought the child was guilty, that was totally evil and messed up. And we all know if this was a white child that did this, they wouldn't have executed him.

[Cali_Democrat]

26. More:

When George Stinney Jr. was executed for the killings of two white girls in 1944, he was so small that the straps of South Carolina’s electric chair didn’t fit him properly, and he had to sit on a book for his electrocution.

Stinney was just 14 years old at the time and became the youngest person put to death in the United States in the 20th century. But this week, 70 years after the fact, Circuit Judge Carmen Mullen tossed out his conviction, which was reached after a trial that didn’t even last a full day and was never appealed. As the Associated Press noted, it took Mullen “nearly four times as long to issue her ruling as it took in 1944 to go from arrest to execution.”

“I can think of no greater injustice,” Mullen wrote in her 29-page order, the AP reported.

Stinney, who was black, was arrested for the beating deaths of two young girls in the segregated town of Alcolu. There wasn’t any physical evidence linking him the crimes, and he wasn’t allowed to see his parents after he was apprehended.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/12/17/judge-throws-out-teens-murder-conviction-70-years-after-his-execution/

[Chisox08]

29. It's no different from the racist now

Hell, they are still wearing a badge and a gun, they are still the prosecutors and judges.

[Takket]

27. wow... we were executing children as recently as the 40s? I honestly had no idea.

[Number23]

32. In all honesty, I am always shocked that he made it to the electric chair

The good folks of SC must have been trying to "send a message" and decided they wouldn't kill him in jail themselves.

Every time I see people pining for the Good Old Days and screaming about how things have never been as horrible as they are now, I just shake my head. IMO Nothing brandishes a person's cluelessness faster than loudly and openly pining for the Good Old Days.

[napkinz]

33. The Redemption of George Stinney, Jr.: Rev. Charles Stinney Speaks. Full Interview (10/10/2011)

Rev. Charles Stinney, the younger brother of George Stinney, Jr.