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Nine black youths by the names of: Olen Montgomery, Clarence Norris, Haywood Patterson, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Charlie Weems, Eugene Williams, and brothers Andy and Roy Wright engage in a fight between white passengers on a freight train through Jackson County in Alabama. Also, Victoria Price and Ruby Bates were on the train and they accused the black boys of rape. The black boys were charged with rape and assault.
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These were speedy trials that convicted eight of the nine boys and sentenced to death. There is a hung hury in the case of 13 year old Roy Wright of whether or not he would be sentenced to death.
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These were speedy trials that convicted eight of the nine boys and sentenced to death. There is a hung hury in the case of 13 year old Roy Wright of whether or not he would be sentenced to death.
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The International Labor Defense (ILD) appealed the ruling of the Alabama Supreme Court and represented the Defendants. It imposed a surging media campaign across the nation to raise awareness and money for the defense.
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In Powell v. Alabama, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Defendants were denied the right to counsel under the Foutteenth Amendment. As a result, new trials were ordered for them.
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Ruby Bates testifies for the black boys that she accused of raping her and Victoria Price. She says that the boys did not rape her and that the story was false. A doctor confirmed that there were few physical signs of rape in the girls' bodies. This springboarded her into participating in rallies and protests to defend the black youth.
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A second jury convicted the Defendants and pursued the death penalty. However, Judge Horton overrode the jury's verict after careful examination of the evidence.
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In Patterson v. Alabama and Norris v. Alabama, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Defendants were denied a fair trial under the Foutteenth Amendment. As a result, new trials were ordered for them.
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Patterson had been convicted of rape for a fourth time earlier in the year and sentenced to 75 years in prison. The Scottsboro Defense Committee made a compromise with Alabama. Norris was convicted of rape and sentenced to life in prison; Andy Wright and Weems were convicted of rape and sentenced to lengthy prison terms; Powell was convicted of assaulting the deputy sheriff and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Charges against Roy Wright, Montgomery, Roberson, and Williams were dropped.
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Charlie Weems had served time in prison, but was finally paroled.
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Clarence Norris and Andy Wright were paroled after serving time in prison.
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Ozzie Powell was released on parole after serving time in prison,
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Haywood Patterson escapes from prison as he was serving a life sentence in prison and left Alabama forever.
