A member of the KKK was wrongly proven innocent of murder! In the United States vs Cecil Price et al case A.K.A. the “Mississippi Burning” case, members of the Ku Klux Klan are accused for the murder of three Civil Rights activists. However, one member, who had enough evidence to be proven guilty, was never found with a verdict. His name is Edgar Ray Killen. He was definitely involved in the shooting, however, the court ruled in his favor for biased reasons.
On June 21, 1964, civil rights workers Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner and James Chaney were arrested for their acts during the well known “Freedom Summer” as a way for voting equality in Philidelphia, Mississippi. Seven hours later, Sheriff Price, a member of the KKK, bailed them out and followed them. When he found them, he along with other klans men, including Edgar Ray Killen, killed them and hid their bodies. It wasn’t until August 4 when the bodies were found. On October 27, 1967, a federal trial conducted in Meridian resulted in seven of the nineteen defendants being convicted with sentences ranging from three to ten years; nine were acquitted, and the jury deadlocked on three others, including Edgar Ray Killen. …show more content…
It was stated in the New York Times, “ An all-white jury of five men and seven women was selected today in the trial of 18 men accused of conspiracy in the 1964 murders of three young civil rights workers near Philadelphia, Miss. . . . . A number of Negroes were among the more than 200 prospective jurors summoned, and at least 17 were included in the panel from which the 12 were selected. But defense attorneys rejected all the negroes with peremptory challenges.” This shows how the society and setting of the case can corrupt the
On June 21, 1964, civil rights workers Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner and James Chaney were arrested for their acts during the well known “Freedom Summer” as a way for voting equality in Philidelphia, Mississippi. Seven hours later, Sheriff Price, a member of the KKK, bailed them out and followed them. When he found them, he along with other klans men, including Edgar Ray Killen, killed them and hid their bodies. It wasn’t until August 4 when the bodies were found. On October 27, 1967, a federal trial conducted in Meridian resulted in seven of the nineteen defendants being convicted with sentences ranging from three to ten years; nine were acquitted, and the jury deadlocked on three others, including Edgar Ray Killen. …show more content…
It was stated in the New York Times, “ An all-white jury of five men and seven women was selected today in the trial of 18 men accused of conspiracy in the 1964 murders of three young civil rights workers near Philadelphia, Miss. . . . . A number of Negroes were among the more than 200 prospective jurors summoned, and at least 17 were included in the panel from which the 12 were selected. But defense attorneys rejected all the negroes with peremptory challenges.” This shows how the society and setting of the case can corrupt the