Scottsboro+Trial

=The Case of the Scottsboro Boys =

The case arose in Scottsboro, Alabama when nine black boys, ages ranging from twelve to twenty, were falsly accused of raping two white women just as Tom Robinson in "[|To Kill A Mockingbird]//__"__// by Harper Lee was convicted of his crime. The two white women were Victoria Price and Ruby Bates. The all the defendents were repeatedly found guilty and sentenced to death by all white southern juries. This case sparked nation wide interest, and after 20 years of being locked up, all the men were free to go.

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 * The Defendents**


 * Haywood patterson age 19 [[image:http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images1/scottsboro_boys.jpg align="right" caption="The Scottsboro Boys and Their Attorney, Samuel Leibowitz"]]
 * Roy 13 /Andy Wright 19
 * Eugene Williams 12
 * Ozie Powell unknown age
 * Clarance Noris late teen early 20s
 * Olen Montgomery 19 almost blind didn’t fight
 * Charlie Weems 20 didn’t fight
 * Willie Roberson unknown age didn’t fight.


 * The Incident**

The alleged crime occured on March 25, 1931 on a routine freight railroad line from Chattanooga to Memphis. Catching a illegal but very common ride were the nine black boys, two white women, and a bunch of white boys. Out of nowhere, a fight brook out between the white boys and the blacks causing most of the white boys thrown off the train from the black boys. The white boys picked themselves up and went directly to the nearest stationmaster to tell them of their fight with the black boys. In Paint Rock, Alabama, the white boys and the stationmaster were waiting for them at the station with guns blazing to get them off the train and arrested. Two women on the train at the time of the fight named Victoria Price, and Ruby Bates said that they had been raped by some of the black boys. (A big time no no being in the south, and especially being African-American.) The breaking news of the rape quickly scattered across the region causing lynch mobs to gather and storm the jail and lynch them. Since the situation has been steadily growing, the governor of Alabama, Benjamin M. Miller was forced to call the National Guard to protect the boys and all the inmates in the jail. An interesting statement made by the guards at the jail said that they promised a speedy trial and executions. Saying that there is no hope for the boys right then and there.  The first of many trials was set for April 6, 1931. The outcome of this trial was already set before it began. By the time April 9th came around all nine boys were tried and sentenced to death accepted Roy who was given a mistrial. The 8 who were convicted were sentenced to death the 10th of July, 1931. The American communist party tried to get the boy a new trial within the eyes of the south. This proved even more they were guilty. That NAACP and the ILD were the two groups involved in the appeal process and were literally fighting over who should control this process.


 * [[image:http://www.sanmarcos.net/ana/Class/Eng2/ScottPriceBates.jpg caption="Victoria Price and Ruby Bates, the two girls who acused the boys of raping them."]]

Second Trial**  When in jail, the boy received 3 dollars from the [|NAACP] and 8 from the American Communist Party. the ILD organized marches on behalf of the boys. This case was followed all over the country and split into two groups. Some thought the boys were innocent and should be set free, and the others thought the boy should be hung and were not afraid to say so. June 5th 1931, Judge Hawkins heard the motions for a new trial. The [|ILD] thought they had a chance, but the motions were not granted. March 24th 1932 the case was taken to the Alabama Supreme Court and the decision was upheld.  May 27th 1932 us Supreme Court ruled to review the boy’s case. November 7th 1932, the [|United States Supreme Court] over ruled the decision and granted a new trial. A new trial was set for 7 out of the 9 boys- Patterson, A. Wright, Montgomery, Norris, Roberson, Weems and Powell. Roy Wright was being held for trial as a minor because he was only twelve at the time. The new trials were set for march of 1933. In early 1933 the judge granted a change of venue. (Indicates a change of the trial location.) In January 1933 a letter from ruby bates to her boyfriend was found. This letter said that the attack on her and Mrs. price never happened. She of course denied that she ever wrote this letter. Because of this letter the boys lawyer Mr. Leibowitz investigated the girls background. The investigation showed that the girls were unreliable witnesses and had questionable morals.  The trail for Haywood Patterson started march 27th 1933. the national guard was placed there to protect the boys from being killed. Mrs. Price was the first witness for the state. She was vary uncooperative on cross examination. Some new evidence was with a lot of objections. The defense called Mrs. Bates who said that the attack never happened. Patterson was convicted and sentenced to death again but he got a new trial later. The third trial was started November 1933. in this trail the ILD lawyers defended the boys. The judge, [|Judge Callahan], for this trail was blatantly unfair and rushed the trial. The two who were tried, Patterson and Norris, were convicted and sentenced to death. On May 25, the [|Alabama Supreme Court] heard appeals and on June 28 they were denied. It was later found out that price would change her story for the right amount of money. In 1934 the ILD and leibowitz would fight over who should defend the boys from now on. In 1935 both the convicted men were given new trials. Both Patterson and Norris were convicted and got 75 years in prison. When they were transferring the nine there was I fight in one of the cars. Powell was shot in the head and left in the car as the cop with minor injuries was brought the hospital. That was in 1937. two of the men in that car were tried for assault on the cop. Norris was convicted for both crimes and sentenced to death. Andy Wright was convicted on the rape charges and given 95 years(Life Sentence) in prison. Weems was convicted on the same charge and got 75 years. Powell was convicted of attacking the cop only and got 20 years. The other four were released. Later some of them were let out. --Robin D. G. Kelley **
 * Supreme Court**
 * New Evidence**
 * Third Trial**
 * Last Trial**
 * 
 * The Effect**

"//The case of the// Scottsboro Boys vs. the state of Alabama //became a cause celebre, was a major precursor of the U.S. civil rights movement and led to two landmark U.S. Supreme Court rulings that enhanced fundamental rights for all Americans. The case also was a sobering reminder that rights enshrined in written constitutions are rarely immediate realities, but instead evolve over time in the light of judicial interpretation and review." -// **//David Pitts//**

This quote says it all! We can't say that our court system is perfect, but we can say that we have learned from our mistakes. These events were a pivitall point in our nations history. Reminding us of our bad desicions that cost several lives.



haskins, james. __the scottsboro trial__. new york: henry holt and company, 1994. Kelley, Robin D.G. __Scottsboro trial.__ new york print:, 1985 Google.com "wilson's almanac." __Wilson's Almanac__. 2 Oct 2008 . "'Looking History in the Eye' at Portrait Gallery." __npr__. october 2 2008. 2 Oct 2008 . "A Scottboro Protest Exhibit." __mondern american poetry__. october 2 2008. 2 Oct 2008 . "The Scottsboro Boys' Trials Race, Gender, and Lies." __The Scottsboro Boys' Trials Race, Gender, and Lies__. october 2 2008. 2 Oct 2008 . ""The Scottsboro Boys" Trials ." __Famous American Trials__. 2 Oct 2008 . "The Scottsboro Boys." __the greates trials of all time__. court tv. 2 Oct 2008 . [|Scottsboro Trial] [|Wiki Scottsboro Trial] [|PBS American Experience] [|Court TV Scottsboro Boys] [|American Treasures of the Library of Congress]