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The Accusing
The white men that had been thrown off the train ran to the station master and told him they were attacked by a band of black boys. The station master radioed ahead and by the time the train got to the station there were police with guns waiting. Victoria Price and Ruby Bates accused the boys of gang raping them.
Information: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_acct.html -
The Train Ride
About two dozen white and black men were on the Southern Railroad's Chattanooga to Memphis freight with two women. The train was headed to Huntsville. The train had already crossed into Alabama when a stone throwing fight broke out between the white and black men. The black men threw off all but one white man. The two women were still on the train.
Information and photo: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_train.html -
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Scottsboro Boys Trials
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The First Trial
The trials began in a courtroom of Judge A.E. Hawkins. One of the defendants was drunk and the other was 70 years old. The frist trial's verdict was annouced during the second trial. Clarence Norris, Charlie Weems, Haywood Patterson, Olen Montgomery, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, and Andy Wright were sentenced to death.
Information: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_acct.html
Photo: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_imag.html -
The New Trials
By a 6-1 vote, the Alambama Supreme Court confirmed seven death sentences. The youngest boy, Eugene Williams was ruled tooyoung to have a trial. The right of the defendants under the Fourteenth Amendment to legal counsel was ruled by the Alabama Supreme Court but it was denied by Alabama. Because of this the Court had to redo trials.
http://www.scottsboro-boys.org/history.html -
Ruby Bates denies being raped in a Letter to Earl Streetman.
Excerpt of the letter Bates wrote to Earl Streetman. In this letter she confessed she wasn't raped.
Information: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/scottsboro/filmmore/ps_bates.html
Photo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bZLWcnc6PI -
Dr. R.R. Bridges' Testimony
Dr. R.R. Bridges examined the girls a couple hours after the got off the train and testified just to tell what he discovered. http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_33Brid.html -
Victoria Price is called to the Stand
Victoria Price was the one to accuse the Scottsboro Boys of rape. The examination only lasted sixteen minutes. She worded her story so the defense attorneys could not contradict her story. She was a prostitute. She was not crying or bleeding after the supposed attack. She was scared of getting in legal trouble for crossing state lines with a minor so she put the blame on the Scottsboro Boys.
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/FTrials/scottsboro/SB_acct.html -
High Tensions
The Scottsboro trials are postponed due to high tension in the area. http://www.scottsboromusicallondon.com/history/ -
Marchs
One of many marches that took place in America took place in Washington, D.C. All the marchers protested the Alabama trials.
Photo and Information: http://www.scottsboromusicallondon.com/history/ -
Norris and Patterson Convictions
The Alabama Supreme Court overturns the convictions of Clarence Norris and Haywood Patterson.
Information and Photo: http://www.scottsboromusicallondon.com/history/ -
Fourth Trial for Haywood Patterson
For the fourth time, Haywood Patterson is convicted of rape and sentenced 75 years in prison.
Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calhoun_County_Courthouse_(Alabama) -
Ozzie Powell is shot
Ozzie Powell attacked two police officers witha knife when he was moved to Birmingham Prison. After Powell was threatened, he attacked two officers and one of the officers shot him in the head. Powell was left with permanent brain damage.
Information and Photo: http://www.scottsboromusicallondon.com/history/ -
Verdicts
Clarence Norris was sentenced to death for rape. Andy Wright is sentenced to 99 years for rape. Charlie Weems is sentenced to 75 years. Ozzie Powell is sentenced 20 years for assaulting a sheriff.
Photo: http://abhmuseum.org/2013/02/exonerating-the-scottsboro-nine/scottsboro-boys/ -
Charges are Dropped
Charges are dropped against Willie Robertson, Olen Montgomery, Eugene Williams, and Roy Wright.
Information: http://www.scottsboromusicallondon.com/history/
Photo: http://thegrio.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/scottsboro-boys-16x9.jpg?w=560 -
Ruby Bates Apologizes
In late 1937 Ruby Bates toured to apologize what she did to the Scottsboro Boys. Information: http://www.scottsboromusicallondon.com/history/ -
Governor Graves meets the Scottsboro boys
Governor Graves meets with the boys in October and denies all pardons in November of the same year.
Information and Photo: http://www.scottsboro-boys.org/history.html
