Scottsboro: An American Tragedy, PBS. The Justices examined the items closely with a magnifying glass. Victoria Price, brought out for Bates to identify, glared at her. 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. This recantation seemed to be a severe blow to the prosecution. [37] The jury quickly convicted Patterson and recommended death by electric chair.[38]. Norris took the news stoically. [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. On March 24, 1932, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled against seven of the eight remaining Scottsboro Boys, confirming the convictions and death sentences of all but the 13-year-old Eugene Williams. Scottsboro Boys Trial Flashcards | Quizlet 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. When asked if she had been raped on March 25, 1931, Bates said, "No sir." 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. Patterson snapped, "I was framed at Scottsboro." by Governor Anderson concluded, "No matter how revolting the accusation, how clear the proof, or how degraded or even brutal, the offender, the Constitution, the law, the very genius of Anglo-American liberty demand a fair and impartial trial."[56]. The four had spent over six years in prison on death row, as "adults" despite their ages. convictions of In 1937, the state dropped all charges for Willie Roberson, Olen Montgomery, Eugene Williams, and Roy Wright, who had already been in prison for six years. Willie Roberson testified that he was suffering from syphilis, with sores that prevented him from walking, and that he was in a car at the back of the train. In 1931, nine young Black men, ages 13 to 21, were arrested and falsely accused of raping two white women aboard a train traveling through Scottsboro en route to Memphis, Tennessee. Scottsboro Boys - Wikipedia He is found guilty and sentenced to 75 years in prison. Alabama Supreme Court affirms the convictions of Haywood Thus far in the trial, Ruby Bates had been notably absent. Finally, she testified she had been in New York City and had decided to return to Alabama to tell the truth, at the urging of Rev. race, is The Saga of The Scottsboro Boys | American Civil Liberties Union executed Scottsboro Trial Video Review Flashcards | Quizlet 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. One man admitted that the handwriting appeared to be his. Victoria Price's suit against NBC for its movie "Judge Early in 1936, Patterson was convicted for a fourth time, but sentenced to 75 years in prison. He got Dr. Bridges to admit on cross-examination that "the best you can say about the whole case is that both of these women showed they had sexual intercourse. Patterson is convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 6 [68], Price was not the first hardened witness [Leibowitz] had faced, and certainly not the most depraved. Alabama. 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. Governor. In the first set of trials in April 1931, an all-white, all-male jury quickly convicted the Scottsboro Boys and sentenced eight of them to death. October: George Wallace, governor of Alabama, pardons Clarence Norris. The case has also been explored in many works of literature, music, theatre, film and television. The judge and prosecutor wanted to speed the nine trials to avoid violence, so the first trial took a day and a half, and the rest took place one right after the other, in just one day. 19. James A. Miller, Susan D. Pennybacker, and Eve Rosenhaft, "Mother Ada Wright and the International Campaign to Free the Scottsboro Boys, 19311934", Markovitz, Jonathan (2011). She used the money to buy a house. convictions [24], Clarence Norris and Charlie Weems were tried after Haywood Patterson. "[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. guilty. Chamlee was joined by Communist Party attorney Joseph Brodsky and ILD attorney Irving Schwab. "[101] Gilley testified to meeting Lester Carter and the women the evening before the alleged rapes and getting them coffee and sandwiches. State Nor would he allow Leibowitz to ask why she went to Chattanooga, where she had spent the night there, or about Carter or Gilley. Court. Price testified again that a dozen armed negro men entered the gondola car. [127], By January 23, 1936, Haywood Patterson was convicted of rape and sentenced to 75 yearsthe first time in Alabama that a black man had not been sentenced to death in the rape of a white woman.[2]. Horton. [38], This trial was interrupted and the jury sent out when the Patterson jury reported; they found him guilty. transferred to Judge William Callahan's court. ", 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. [17] The judge persuaded Stephen Roddy, a Chattanooga, Tennessee, real estate lawyer, to assist him. Victoria Price worked in a Huntsville cotton mill until 1938, then moved to Flintville, Tennessee. The Supreme Court, by a vote of 7-2, reverses the He supplied them with an acquittal form only after the prosecution, fearing reversible error, urged him to do so. [63] The judge abruptly interrupted Leibowitz.[64]. "[55] Moreover, they "would have been represented by able counsel had a better opportunity been given. This is considered a violation of their parole. new trial. The Court concluded, "the motion to quash should have been granted. [122], On April 1, 1935, the United States Supreme Court sent the cases back a second time for retrials in Alabama. On March 25, 1931, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates were travelling in men's overalls, hoboing aboard a Southern Railroad freight train, when it was met by a heavily-armed posse in Paint Rock,. trials. gruesome [116], Closing arguments were on December 4, 1933. [26][28] The defense put on no further witnesses. There was a wrong amount of Black jury officials. The motion was denied. Grand jury indicts the nine Scottsboro boys for rape. . Governor Graves had planned to pardon the prisoners in 1938 but was angered by their hostility and refusal to admit their guilt. The Scottsboro Trial: A Timeline | American Experience | PBS 15. However, it would take several years for these young men's cases to be overturned. [131] In January 2004, the town dedicated a historical marker in commemoration of the case at the Jackson County Court House. In 2016, the site seemed to be showing its age. This denial was considered a violation of their right to due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. Jack Tiller, another white, said he had had sex with Price, two days before the alleged rapes. November 17: Weems is released on parole. He pleads guilty to assaulting a police officer and is sentenced to 20 years. [49] The ILD retained attorneys George W. Chamlee, who filed the first motions, and Joseph Brodsky. In March of 1931, nine young African-American men were accused of raping two white women on a train. He was reported to have died not long after his release due to tuberculosis. [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." After Alabama freed Roy Wright, the Scottsboro Defense Committee took him on a national lecture tour. While she was not dying, committed to his three-day time limit for the trial, Judge Callahan denied the request to arrange to take her deposition. [43], The eight convicted defendants were assembled on April 9, 1931, and sentenced to death by electric chair. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. their paroles. Patterson pointed at H.G. The Scottsboro cases are removed from Judge Horton's On cross-examination he testified that he had seen "all but three of those negroes ravish that girl", but then changed his story. On April 1, 1935, four years after the Scottsboro boys' arrest, the Supreme Court decided two cases related to the Scottsboro trials: Norris v. Alabama and Patterson v. Alabama. Scottsboro Boys Flashcards | Quizlet They later recalled that he "died hard. 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. He was sentenced to 20 years. What brought the Scottsboro trial to an end? Who was Samuel Leibowitz's last witness on the stand? Clarence Norris's death sentence is reduced to life in However, his trial ends with a hung jury as 11 jurors want the death sentence and one vote for life in imprisonment. [66] The defense had what she had said before under oath on paper, and could confront her with any inconsistencies. A Miscarriage of Justice: The True Story of the Scottsboro Boys One of the boys accusers, Ruby Bates, recanted her initial testimony and agreed to testify for the defense. December: The defense team is reorganized. What was the common image of black men in Scottsboro? You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. . January 23: Clarence Norris dies. She often replied, "I can't remember" or "I won't say." Judge Horton warned spectators to stop laughing at her testimony or he would eject them. When the US Supreme Court agreed to hear the case in 1977, Price disregarded the advice of her lawyer and accepted a settlement from NBC. ends Did brother Hill frame them? of Alabama. The Last of the Scottsboro Boys, in 1979. When, after several hours of reading names, Commissioner Moody finally claimed several names to be of African-Americans,[95] Leibowitz got handwriting samples from all present. 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. Alabama does not continue its attempts to return Patterson to prison. FBI arrests Patterson, but Leibowitz was escorted to the train station under heavy guard, and he boarded a train back to New York. Haywood Patterson is convicted for a fourth time of rape DOCX "The Scottsboro Trials" PBS DocumentaryThe American Experience The Scottsboro Boys. to the execution of Willie Stokes, the first of ten blacks March 25: A group of young African-American and white men engage in a scuffle while riding a freight train. November to December: Patterson and Norris' cases both end in the death penalty. represent the Scottsboro boys. What did Samuel Leibowitz suggest to the court about Victoria Price's story? April through December: Organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as well as the International Labor Defense (ILD) are astonished by the age of the defendants, length of their trails, and sentences received. In 2016, the site seemed to be showing its age. Weems, Although the motion was denied, this got the issue in the record for future appeals. Andy Wright, Eugene Williams, and Haywood Patterson testified that they had previously known each other, but had not seen the women until the train stopped in Paint Rock. The case is overturned and sent to a lower court. The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the convictions of Norris right to and convicted, and sentenced to death. The defense again waived closing argument, and surprisingly the prosecution then proceeded to make more argument. He admitted under questioning that Price told him that she had had sex with her husband and that Bates had earlier had intercourse as well, before the alleged rape events.[41]. Jury Nullification: Definition and Examples, African-American History and Women Timeline (1930-1939), Shocking Moments in 20th Century Black History, Civil Rights Movement Timeline From 1951 to 1959, Profile of Husband Killer Kelly Gissendaner, An Overview of the 'Castle Doctrine' and 'Stand Your Ground' Laws, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), M.S.Ed, Secondary Education, St. John's University, M.F.A., Creative Writing, City College of New York. He later instructed the jury in the next round of trials that no white woman would voluntarily have sex with a black man.[89]. Scheduled maintenance: Thursday, January 26 from 6PM to 7PM PST. The judge had ordered the Alabama bar to assist the defendants, but the only attorney who volunteered was Milo Moody, a 69-year-old attorney who had not defended a case in decades. Judge Callahan arraigned all the defendants except the two juveniles in Decatur; they all pleaded not guilty. Wright wore street clothes. The Associated Press reported that the defendants were "calm" and "stoic" as Judge Hawkins handed down the death sentences one after another. [97] She said the negros had ripped her clothes off and repeatedly raped her at knifepoint, and pointed out Patterson as one of the rapists. Two young white women were also taken to the jail, where they accused the African-American teenagers of rape. Callahan interrupted before Leibowitz could find out if Gilley went "somewhere with [the women]" that night. He dies of cancer less than a year later. He remained in contact with Clarence Norris for a few years and planned on Norris reuniting with younger brother Roy, but after Roy's death, Norris never saw Andy again. privacy, [38], Dr. Bridges was the next prosecution witness, repeating his earlier testimony. What you can do now is to make sure that it doesn't happen to some other woman." Verdict is announced in Scottsboro case - History It upheld seven of eight rulings from the lower court. Only four of them had known each other before their arrest. governor refuses extradition to Alabama. Thomas Knight meets with Samuel Leibowitz in New York to Leibowitz asked her whether she had spent the evening in a "hobo jungle" in Huntsville, Alabama, with a Lester Carter and Jack Tiller, but she denied it. Boys. Clarence Norris, one of nine Black men involved in the Scottsboro case of 15 years, walks through the main cell gate at Kilby Prison in Montgomery, Ala., Sept. 27, 1946, after receiving his parole after serving nine years of a life sentence. In a landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court reversed the convictions on the ground that the due process clause of the United States Constitution guarantees the effective assistance of counsel at a criminal trial. They told us if we didn't confess they'd kill usgive us to the mob outside. Attorneys Osmond Frankel and Walter Pollak argued those. "[12], In the Jim Crow South, lynching of black males accused of raping or murdering whites was common; word quickly spread of the arrest and rape story. The landmark set of legal cases from this incident dealt with racism and the right to a fair trial. The African-American men ranged in age from thirteen to nineteen. Bates died in 1976 in Washington state, where she lived with her carpenter husband, and her case was not heard. Norris By the mid-1950s, he seemed to have settled for good in Connecticut. Did Ory Dobbins frame them? Why was Samuel Leibowitz naive? The jury began deliberation on December 5. Chattanooga Party member James Allen edited the Communist Southern Worker, and publicized "the plight of the boys".