The wrong in the past is directly responsible for this situation - where bogus trials let this creep and others like him walk free. Had there been an honest trial back then, his defense attorney would have had ample opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, because they would have still been alive and had fresh memories. The reason the trial happened now is because Killen relied on a rigged trial back then to get off.
He has reaped what he has sown.
Ya know...I'm from the South and it's really sad how so many buy off on the "everything in the South either was wrong or is wrong now" crap.
The issue here should be about the legal system and how it works. By your logic any white man in the South could be accused of being a former Klansman and you would say he's guilty of something. Even if the facts are flimsy at best. If you are going to try someone for a crime it should be a fair trial no matter what. Just saying "Well they used to be unfair before so it's okay to be unfair now" is lame.
If he did it fine...convict him. But this trial was bogus from the start.