Breaking Killen Verdict Guilty On 3 Counts of Manslaughter

Ex-KKK Member Convicted in 1964 Killings
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050621/ap_on_re_us/civil_rights_killings;_

Mississippi Jury Finds Ex-Klansman Guilty In 1964 Killings
http://www.theneworleanschannel.com/news/4634301/detail.html

Let him fry!!

It's about fucking time! :grr:

:grr:

...though today these would be acts of domestic terrorism.

I'm not clear on how premeditated these murders were supposed to have been.

Manslaughter was all they proved. Not saying he didn't murder them, but the prosecution couldn't make that case.

Not that it matters. With three mansluaghter convictions, if the judge does consecutive sentences, Killen will get 60 years. If the sentences are concurrent, 20 years. Either way, he's dying in prison.

BEFORE the verdict:








AFTER the verdict:



FUCK him.

Sorry-ass bastard. He could serve 600 years and it wouldn't even begin to make up for his crime.

I hate people like that, I really really do.

I hope he rots in jail for whatever time he has left. I hope there is an afterlife, because this kind of scum deserves to enter through the Gates of Hell and stay there forever and ever.

The story, as I understand, is that he was the leader of the Klan who killed the three men, but he was not present. He has an alibi, even.

In 1967 seven men were convicted for the crime, but Killen was not. Now, 44 years later, they've tried him again. I think, since he is mostly accused of helping the gang prepare for the murders but not actually taking part in them himself, that it would have been too difficult to prove first degree murder intent. Manslaughter means his actions led to their deaths, but the prosecution doesn't have to prove that his intention was to murder them. Since he wasn't at the scene when the murders occured, or if he was the prosecution couldn't prove it, and since they couldn't prove he had intention to murder the three men (he could argue his intention was to scare them, for instance, and that his gang got carried away), intent was too hard to prove, so they went for manslaughter.

I could be way off, but that's how I understand it. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

So I guess the jury decided the prosecution couldn't prove intent.

That's what I've taken from the case. Witnesses are now dead, memories have failed with age. 40 year old cover ups tend to erase hard, convicting evidence rather well.

And who knows the real truth, BUT from what has come out, it seems like the murder wasn't pre-planned by Killen, thus it's manslaughter or Murder 2.

At the very least, he was present at the murder and did nothing to stop it or bring those responsible to justice, which could fit into a Manslaughter charge. And this is, in fact, the conclusion the court has come to in this case.


Though, IMO, too little too late.

But, this is a visible victory for human rights!

..because he probably was a "southern Democrat" when he did the crime (and never mind that he left the party for greener pastures--the Republican Party--after Johnson's civil rights legislation).

ROTFLMAO!!!

At least some of them are scolding each other for supporting an appeal by KKKillen.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1427439/posts

I was afraid of a hung jury

Manslaughter ..... feh ...... he's a fucking murderer.

(edit to change 'loval' to 'local' in the title)

Seriously?

while those he killed have missed out on 41 years of precious life.

I hope he lives out his 20+ year sentence in less than comfortable conditions.

Better now than never. But, dammit, where was justice when it mattered? When it could have saved other innocent lives?

But this does something. It's not enough, but it's the most this generation can do to make up for the sins of our fathers.

You should try being from Mississippi, and being smeared with what was done back then. Kids learn our history, and they react one of three ways: They are overcome with hatred for where they live, or they are overcome with hatred for those who still blame them (this is why Mississippi votes against the Democrats so often), or they learn to see what's good about their home and themselves while fighting against the bad. That last group is the smallest, though it's probably the strongest Mississippi presence on DU.

And I think no matter which of those groups you fit into, you still have a little bit of the other two, as well. I know I hate my home state at times (I moved away), and at other times I hate those who attack us on every damn thread about the south. But mostly I just learn to hate hatred and prejudgementalism, without hating people.

I think the best liberals I've ever known have been southerners, because we've had to learn to understand all sides of the issues, first hand. Jimmy Carter and Al Gore, for instance. Of course, most of the worst conservatives I've ever known are southern, too.

Parchman is not the most pleasant experience. He will probably go there first to be processed in the system and depending on his physical condition, later on they will transfer him to a satellite facility.

Because felons can't vote, and THAT's minus one vote that Haley Barbour, Trent Lott and the 2008 Republican presidential nominee can count on.

Perhaps a murder conviction would have been better, but at his age the effect should be the same.

Of course he most likely had a hand in burning and lynching others too.

he may rot in some prison infirmary...but i don't see him going into a regular cell in general population.

what was the evidence they had against him (being so long ago) - was it fairly compelling???

The stupid idiot who voted against finding him guilty said she "couldn't vote to condemn a preacher".

Superstitious idiot! Her idiocy let him walk free all these years.

To think the powers that be want to return to those days....I hope not.

This creep got the minimum for murder.

He wasn't present for the murders, and had an alibi. Seven people were convicted in 1967 for the crime (though I'm not sure if they were convicted of murder).

He was being tried as the leader of the KKK gang that killed the three men. He had an alibi, and there was no proof he intended for his gang to kill the three men, despite what everyone knew. The prosecution went for manslaughter because they could prove his actions led to the mens' deaths, but couldn't prove that he intended for these actions to lead to these mens' deaths.

I'm sorry Mississippi doesn't have as perfect a judicial system as, say, California, or New York, where white cops are so frequently convicted for beating unarmed black motorists or pumping forty-one shots--after stopping to reload--into unarmed black men carrying a wallet.

If what you say is true then it sounds like a fair verdict. I apologize for being ignorant.

The system is racist, always was, and still is!

That son of a bitch was allowed to live his life to the fullest, and now at 80 fucking years old he goes to jail... He'll probably do 3 months before he dies..... This is no fucking justice!..... and what about the 7 who were convicted 40 years ago.. They did an average of 6 lousy years!... there people doing more time than that for a joint!

I am honestly surprised that they even convicted him at all.This man took three innocent lives simply because of who these victims where.
And they tried to stand up for a change and make a difference for people in the south. I am wondering how far this will set back race relations in the south..

That was worrying.

He has been reporting on this story for 16 years, and has been bravely demanding accountability of those who participated in the crime and have been walking around scot-free.

Here's his story from yesterday. His story today is very short so far -- look for more at his paper later. www.clarionledger.com

Killen jury resumes deliberations after 6-6 split
Reputed Klansman accused in '64 slayings said "pleased" with division

By Jerry Mitchell
jmitchell@clarionledger.com

June 21, 2005
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050621/NEWS010702/506210391

PHILADELPHIA — Jurors resumed deliberations this morning to decide whether to convict reputed Klan leader Edgar Ray Killen of the June 21, 1964, killings of three civil rights workers in Neshoba County 41 years ago today. Killen has insisted he had nothing to do with the slayings of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman. Jurors are split 6-6 over whether the 80-year-old Union sawmill owner and part-time preacher orchestrated their killings.

...Attorney General Jim Hood said it's too early in deliberations to read a lot into the split. "Maybe a good night's rest will let them reach a decision," he said. In 1994, the jury that eventually convicted Byron De La Beckwith in the 1963 murder of Medgar Evers ended the first evening of deliberations in an angry split. The foreman said the jury came together the next day and unanimously convicted Beckwith.

In the trio's killings, Hood said he believes "the evidence is there. The question is: Is this jury going to hold him (Killen) accountable? Is the time lapse enough to forgive a person of murder? That's where we started and where we'll end up."

Legal experts point out that while the 6-6 is presumed to be a split of guilty and not guilty, it could also signify a split between murder and manslaughter. But that seems less likely since the jury sent out a question Monday about the manslaughter charge, asking whether any charge could be substituted for the underlying kidnapping charge.

MORE

Why am I not surpised at this outcome?

:eyes:

Theres a justice system inside the justice system for these kinds of people. How much murder, rape, and assaults do you think he got away with during his life? He will most surely be judged for those actions in jail.

about time. Fucking terrorist, which he was way before the word "terrorist" became trite like it is now. About time.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

RIP

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1511492,00.html

Klansman convicted of activists' manslaughter

Staff and agencies
Tuesday June 21, 2005

An 80-year-old former Ku Klux Klansman was convicted of manslaughter
today over the 1964 killings of three civil rights workers, exactly 41 years after they disappeared.

The jury at a court in Mississippi reached the verdict on their second day of deliberations, rejecting murder charges against Edgar Ray Killen but finding him guilty of manslaughter.



Justice in Mississippi!

next will be those who murdered Emmett Till. Better late than never for Keeeerist's sake.

I kept a blog during the trial, if any of you would like to read it. There are a few tidbits here and there that weren't picked up by the national press.

http://www.neshoblog.com

Welcome to DU, HulkamaniacUM! :hi:

This guy's buddies only did 6 years for the murders... guess in the RepuKKKe party a black or a jewish life is only worth 6 years.

<clips>

People from Neshoba and Lauderdale counties packed a courtroom in the federal courthouse in Meridian for a glimpse at the notorious back in the fall of 1967.

The state hadn't brought murder charges. Federal prosecutors found a law originating in the 1870s that would haul into court reputed Klansmen the FBI believed responsible for the disappearance and murders of Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman.

The law provided that the accused had deprived the three civil rights workers of their civil rights. In order to get a conviction, federal prosecutors would have to prove a murder case.

Here are the people who stood trial 37 years ago:

http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp?ID=195231&pub=1

added to the book of racism in America.

Montana? {snerk}

A bill that would have expanded Montana's hate crimes law to include sexual orientation was killed in the in the House yesterday. Rejected 54-46, Republicans warned the bill would stifle free speech and could even prevent clergy from speaking out against homosexuality in their sermons.

Yes we in this region have that homophobia but the South has all that and more and a disgraceful level of racism unmatched anywhere else, is my point. There is no New South, same old, same old.

No point in trying to defend your self-righteous bigotry.

and no amount of pissed off, wounded chauvinistic (or apologistic) baring of teeth is going to make it better.

then feel free. It's the surest sign of small people that they need to declare their superiority to others. But hey, whatever gets you through the night....

It would be interesting, though, to know what you are doing about the problem of racism. Surely there are plenty of opportunities to fight the good fight there in the heart of militia country. So enlighten us all here--tell us what you are doing, in your own life, to remedy the injustices of our country.

If, as I suspect, your work for justice is limited to playing keyboard cowboy on message boards, here's a cause very close to home you might want to take up:

Twelve-year-old Mandi Henderson likes Washington Middle School because of the opportunities it yields, like being able to play the cello in the school's orchestra.

What she says she doesn't like is being called a "dirty Indian" and a "prairie nigger," and told that she doesn't "belong on this earth."

She moved to Missoula from the Blackfeet Reservation two years ago, and what Mandi says she misses most is "being around people that are like me."

"There's more stuff to do here," she says. "But I don't get treated bad in Browning."

Whether it's in-your-face name calling or more subtle forms of discrimination encountered when trying to rent a house or get a loan, Montana's Native Americans, who comprise more than 6 percent of the state's population, routinely suffer the humiliation of racism....

http://www.umt.edu/journalism/student_work/NativeNews/pride.html

Lecturing a native american on racism with examples about racism suffered by us solely to assuage wounded white supremacist pride, without admitting even the slightest smidgen of validity about the essential screwed upness of that southern heritage. You're out in deep water flailing lecturing me about this issue, and blindly and foolishly linking me to cowboy stuff. Talk about a bigot.

Interesting that you won't answer the question. But not surprising, of course. People who like to talk big usually change the subject when someone calls them on their big talk.

I'll ask again: what are you doing, in your neck of the woods, to deal with the problem?

Hint: launching personal attacks on strangers from the safety of an anonymous web forum doesn't count.

But for Killen, it's effectively a life sentence -- 20 years at age 80.

their you-know-what! Isn't that what happens in prison? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Just like Byron de la Beckwith (convicted of killing Medgar Evers)


:nuke:

Doesn't seem they did offhand, and the prosecutor specifically said they shouldn't do so, but hard to really know.

Hopefully justice was done.