Posted on 06/22/2005 8:00:55 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
The name Neshoba County, Mississippi, became synonymous with publicly sanctioned murder when a sheriff's deputy conspired with the Klan to kill three young civil rights workers during the summer of 1964. The slaughter of James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner became known not just for its brutality but also for the conspiracies of silence and inaction that developed inside Mississippi itself and protected the murderers by pushing the case out of public view.
This week's conviction of Edgar Ray Killen, an 80-year-old former Klansman, brings the case to a conclusion of sorts and affords some solace to the survivors of the dead. But the lingering mystery about why the state took 40 years to bring its first charges will very likely prevent this case from achieving the definitive end that the prosecutors and citizens of Neshoba County were hoping for.
When Mississippi initially failed to act against the killers, the federal government intervened and gathered evidence enough to charge 18 people in 1967. Seven of them went to prison for brief sentences, but Mr. Killen, who was said to have recruited the mob, went free when an all-white jury deadlocked in his case.
Despite the evidence laid out in the federal case, it was not until earlier this year that Mississippi could rouse itself to indict even a single person in connection with these heinous crimes. By that time, memories of the living had faded and three crucial witnesses were dead.
Faced with a weakened case and testimony of witnesses now beyond the grave, jurors failed to convict on the primary charge of murder and settled instead on manslaughter...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Gee, since justice knows no time limits, maybe the Times will make an appeal to charge the Clintons with treason next week...
In that case what is wrong with getting Felt for his criminal activity? Certain crimes are Pc?
This has been hashed on 3 threads already
there not much left to say
I wonder after 40 years how much solace the family would get sending an 80 year old man to prison.
What does his age have to do with it?
After thinking about it, nothing I guess. If an 80 year old guy was caught diddling kids then I'd want his head on a platter. The victory seems hollow somehow. Guy was able to live out his life & he probably won't last 3 months in jail. I guess the only bright spot(?) of this situation is after he dies he'll be judged & sentenced accordingly.
There you go - you got it! Good thinking, CO Gal!. Whenever someone does something to hurt an innocent, they should pay, be held responsible - no matter how old they are or how long it takes. That is called JUSTICE!
If an 80 year old guy was caught being a cannibal then I'd want his head on a platter.
< ]B^)
Further, the comparison does not come even remotely close to being analogous in any way, shape, or form.
What? No riots in the streets?
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