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August: Patterson dies of cancer while serving time in prison. She said she was "sorry for all the trouble that I caused them", and claimed she did it because she was "frightened by the ruling class of Scottsboro." Victoria Price's suit against NBC for its movie "Judge November 20: The cases of the youngest defendants, Roy Wright, and Eugene Williams, are moved to Juvenile Court. "[60], Leibowitz called the editor of the Scottsboro weekly newspaper, who testified that he'd never heard of a black juror in Decatur because "they all steal. Ruby Bates had given a deposition from her hospital bed in New York, which arrived in time to be read to the jury in the Norris trial. He also argues that names added on the current rolls were forged. Patterson pointed at H.G. Victoria Price worked in a Huntsville cotton mill until 1938, then moved to Flintville, Tennessee. Scottsboro [38], Dr. Bridges was the next prosecution witness, repeating his earlier testimony. [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. He continued, "These defendants were confined in jail in another county and local counsel had little opportunity to prepare their defense. She denies being raped and further testifies that she was with Price for the duration of the train ride. privacy, [113] She claimed Norris raped her, along with five others. [94] Callahan excluded defense evidence that Horton had admitted, at one point exclaiming to Leibowitz, "Judge Horton can't help you [now]. Norris returns to jail in October 1944 and Wright in October 1946. [116], Closing arguments were on December 4, 1933. 19. [33] The second trial continued. 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]. Haywood Patterson's second trial begins in Decatur before judge James Horton. Ruby Bates took the stand, identifying all five defendants as among the 12 entering the gondola car, putting off the whites, and "ravishing" her and Price. Michigan's A mistrial was declared, and Leroy Wright would remain in prison until 1937 awaiting the final verdict on his co-defendants. Leibowitz read the rest of Bates' deposition, including her version of what happened on the train. "[70] Threats of violence came from the North as well. "[118] The prosecution's closing argument was shorter and less "barbed" than it had been in the Patterson case. May 27: The United States Supreme Court decides to hear the case. against 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. The trial of the youngest, 13-year-old Leroy Wright, ended in a hung jury when one juror favored life imprisonment rather than death. In one of many protests around the nation, thousands march Clarence Norris, the oldest defendant and the only one sentenced to death in the final trial, "jumped parole" in 1946 and went into hiding. reports A group of white teenage boys saw 18-year-old Haywood Patterson on the train and attempted to push him off, claiming that it was "a white man's train". Charlie Weems was paroled in 1943 after having been held in prison for a total of 12 years in some of Alabama's worst institutions. There were few African Americans in the jury pool, as most had been disenfranchised since the turn of the century by a new state constitution and white discriminatory practice, and were thus disqualified from jury service. ILD to defend He described himself as a patriot, a "Roosevelt Democrat", who had served the "Stars and Stripes" in World War I, "when there was no talk of Jew or Gentile, white or black. "[45], The NAACP hesitated to take on the rape case. "Famous Trials" first appeared on the Web in 1995, making this site older than about 99.97% of all websites. In 2016, the site seemed to be showing its age. "[56], Anderson noted that, as the punishment for rape ranged between ten years and death, some of the teenagers should have been found "less culpable than others", and therefore should have received lighter sentences. Solicitor H. G. Bailey reminded the jury that the law presumed Patterson innocent, even if what Gilley and Price had described was "as sordid as ever a human tongue has uttered." right to Why did the boys get a second set of trials? Her claim, however, is dismissed. ", Ruby Bates was apparently too sick to travel. 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. Executions are stayed pending appeal to Alabama Supreme even order to change her testimony. [120], The case went to the United States Supreme Court for a second time as Norris v. Alabama. Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, and Andy grants a 1931. Each young man was tried, convicted and sentenced in a matter of days. December: Patterson is charged with murder after a fight in a bar. By letting Leibowitz go on record on this issue, Judge Callahan provided grounds for the case to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for a second time. Last, he argued that African Americans were systematically excluded from jury duty contrary to the Fourteenth Amendment. Having reviewed the evidence and met privately with one of the medical examiners, Judge Horton suspended the death sentence and granted Patterson a new trial. [122], On April 1, 1935, the United States Supreme Court sent the cases back a second time for retrials in Alabama. Multiple trials were held in which all-white juries found guilty Charlie Weems, Ozzie Powell, Clarence Norris, Olen Montgomery . DOCX Scottsboro: An American Tragedy Questions (PBS).docx - Weebly But when deputies questioned two white women, Ruby Bates and Victoria Price, they accused the boys of raping them while onboard the train. The case was first heard in Scottsboro, Alabama, in three rushed trials, in which the defendants received poor legal representation. "[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. The second trial of Haywood Patterson opened on March 30 . Both the police officer and Powell survive. However, G. Mennen Williams, governor of Michigan does not extradite Patterson to Alabama. June: Patterson is caught and arrested by the FBI in Detroit. convictions of Judge Callahan cautioned Leibowitz he would not permit "such tactics" in his courtroom. Judge Callahan repeatedly interrupted Leibowitz's cross-examination of Price, calling defense questions "arguing with the witness", "immaterial, "useless", "a waste of time" and even "illegal. death. possible compromise. Morgan County Solicitor Wade Wright cross-examined Carter. juries in As to the "newly discovered evidence", the Court ruled: "There is no contention on the part of the defendants, that they had sexual intercourse with the alleged victim with her consent so the defendants would not be granted a new trial."[53]. During the retrials, one of the alleged victims admitted to fabricating the rape story and asserted that none of the Scottsboro Boys touched either of the white women. 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. The jury foreman, Eugene Bailey, handed the handwritten verdict to Judge Horton. Leibowitz objected that the argument was "an appeal to passion and prejudice" and moved for a mistrial. [100], Orville Gilley's testimony at Patterson's Decatur retrial was a mild sensation. My, my, my. October: A denial of parole is also recommended for Norris, Weems, and Andy Wright. Horton [98] He denied being a "bought witness", repeating his testimony about armed blacks ordering the white teenagers off the train. 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. attacking [40] There was no uproar at the announcement. This trial began within minutes of the previous case. 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. The whites went to a sheriff in the nearby town Paint Rock, Alabama, and claimed that they were assaulted by the Black Americans on the train. All Rights Reserved. "[101] Gilley testified to meeting Lester Carter and the women the evening before the alleged rapes and getting them coffee and sandwiches. the due process clause of the 14th Amendment. "[35], The younger Wright brother testified that Patterson was not involved with the girls, but that nine black teenagers had sex with the girls. Knight thundered, "Who told you to say that?" Another police official shoots Powell in the head. Clarence Norris, Charlie Weems, Haywood Patterson, Olen Horton ruled the rest of defendants could not get a fair trial at that time and indefinitely postponed the rest of the trials, knowing it would cost him his job when he ran for re-election. "If you don't, they will kill you, Red", said the judge. jurisdiction and Price and Bates may have told the police that they were raped to divert police attention from themselves. Rape charges He was paroled and returned to prison after violating parole. guilty. March 24: The Alabama Supreme Court upholds the convictions of seven defendants in a vote of 6-1. The two years that had passed since the first trials had not dampened community hostility for the Scottsboro Boys. At one point, a white man stood on the hand of 18-year-old Haywood Patterson, who would become one of the Scottsboro Nine, and almost knocked him off the train. He said that he had not seen "any white women" until the train "got to Paint Rock. [117] Leibowitz chose to keep Norris off the stand. [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. The Scottsboro Boys' First Trials and Appeals: From the Grotesque to the Victorious. "[55] Justice Anderson also pointed out the failure of the defense to make closing arguments as an example of under zealous defense representation. He did so within the next year, and reportedly died in Alabama in 1975. Knight questioned them extensively about instances in which their testimony supposedly differed from their testimony at their trial in Scottsboro. though Now the question in this case is thisIs justice in the case going to be bought and sold in Alabama with Jew money from New York? The Scottsboro Defense Committee is organized. Nor was she the first witness who tried to stare him down and, failing that, who seemed as if she were about to leap out of her seat and strike him. Grounds for "[66] Leibowitz later conceded that Price was "one of the toughest witnesses he ever cross examined. [32], After the outburst, the defense of Patterson moved for a mistrial, but Judge Hawkins denied the motion and testimony continued. January 23: Clarence Norris dies. He walked through the mob and the crowd parted to let him through; Wann was not touched by anyone. [citation needed], The pace of the trials was very fast before the standing-room-only, all-white audience. of the Judge Callahan allowed it, although he would not allow testimony by Patterson stating that he had not seen the women before Paint Rock. How long did the trials last? Who Were the Scottsboro Nine? - Smithsonian Magazine African-American newspapers published news accounts and editorials of the events of the case. African-American newspapers published news accounts and editorials of the events of the case. On April 9, 1931, eight of the nine young men were convicted and sentenced to death. . April 1: In the case of Norris v. Alabama, the United States Supreme Court decides that the exclusion of African-Americans on jury rolls did not protect African-American defendants of their rights to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. race, is By the mid-1950s, he seemed to have settled for good in Connecticut. [77], Five of the original nine Scottsboro defendants testified that they had not seen Price or Bates until after the train stopped in Paint Rock. her January 23: Patterson is retried. Leibowitz objected that African-American jurors had been excluded from the jury pool. to be . What movement did the Scottsboro Trials re-spark? Patterson and the other black passengers were able to ward off the group. On July 26, 1937, Haywood Patterson was sent to Atmore State Prison Farm. 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. He dies of cancer less than a year later. "[87], The defense moved for a retrial and, believing the defendants innocent, Judge James Edwin Horton agreed to set aside the guilty verdict for Patterson. Norris took the news stoically. "[66] The attorney tried to question her about a conviction for fornication and adultery in Huntsville, but the court sustained a prosecution objection. October 29: Graves meets with the convicted defendants to consider parole. Chattanooga Party member James Allen edited the Communist Southern Worker, and publicized "the plight of the boys". After Roberson and Wright died in 1959, he told Norris he planned on returning to the south. tried Daniel Anker and Barak Goodman produced the story of the Scottsboro Boys in the 2001 documentary. Harry Emerson Fosdick of that city. After getting off the train, the white teens told the sheriff they had been attacked. [74], Leibowitz began his defense by calling Chattanooga resident Dallas Ramsey, who testified that his home was next to the hobo jungle mentioned earlier. Bates died in 1976 in Washington state, where she lived with her carpenter husband, and her case was not heard. Judge Callahan started jury selection for the trial of defendant Norris on November 30, 1933, Thanksgiving afternoon. The defense had urged for a move to the city of Birmingham, Alabama, but the case was transferred to the small, rural community of Decatur. "[103] Bailey attacked the defense case. in a mistrial when some jurors hold out for a death sentence "[84] He called Price's testimony "a foul, contemptible, outrageous lie. The second round of trials began in the circuit court in Decatur, Alabama, 50 miles west of Scottsboro, under Judge James Horton. The Scottsboro boys were declared guilty , death by electrocution . He also shows the Supreme Court justices the jury rolls with forged names. The decision of Judge James Horton to set aside the conviction of Haywood Patterson, despite the dire consequences that decision would have for his own career . He was reported to have died not long after his release due to tuberculosis. the sheriff and is sentenced to 20 years. Scottsboro Boys: Trial, Case, Harper Lee & Names - HISTORY While waiting for their trials, eight of the nine defendants were held in Kilby Prison. When Leibowitz accused them of excluding black men from juries, they did not seem to understand his accusation. How long did the jury take to re-convict the boys during the third trial? They told us if we didn't confess they'd kill usgive us to the mob outside. scottsboro film questions.doc - "The Scottsboro Trials" PBS The Supreme Court overturned the Alabama verdicts, setting an important legal precedent for enforcing the right of Black Americans to adequate counsel, and remanded the cases to the lower courts. It is now widely considered a legal injustice, highlighted by the state's use of all-white juries. The prosecution presented only testimony from Price and Bates. He later had a career in the. seven of the boys. Thus far in the trial, Ruby Bates had been notably absent. "The Scottsboro Trials" PBS DocumentaryThe American Experience. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Norris Clarence Norris is pardoned by Alabama Governor George The case went to the United States Supreme Court on October 10, 1932, amidst tight security. 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. [132] According to a news story, "An 87-year-old black man who attended the ceremony recalled that the mob scene following the Boys' arrest was frightening and that death threats were leveled against the jailed suspects.