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How Was The Scottsboro Trial Unfair

1387 Words6 Pages

In the history of the United States of America, there have been many situations in which a trial was unfair, both in the cases of state and federal indictments. However, none of these have measured up to the outrageous inequity and negligence by the Alabama legal system in 1930. This poses the question: to what extent did the Scottsboro Trial reveal the faults of the U.S. Judicial System? Going so far to tie back to the Constitution, the Scottsboro Trial violated many rights of these boys, regardless of race; even the judges and prosecution put the system to shame. Aside from years of trial, falsely incriminating evidence, and biased courts, the Scottsboro boys faced years of judges, prosecutors, and mobs trespassing on their basic human rights. …show more content…

It all began with nine young-adult boys on a train, searching for work in the cities around them. Bumming on the same train were two young women, Ruby Bates and Victoria Price- lower class girls from poor families, also looking for work. After getting into a fight, the boys found police waiting for them upon arrival. Little did they know, they were about to begin an uphill battle for their lives, freedom, and justice. Price and Bates didn’t hesitate to accuse the boys, knowing it was an easy story to convince an all white jury of. Soon enough, the Scottsboro boys were facing mobs, angry courts, and abusive prison guards. As the trial continued, it became more and more clear to everyone; the Scottsboro Trial was an enormous misconduct to the fault of the Alabama and United States federal …show more content…

Not only did it break amendments court officials vowed to follow, but it defied basic human rights. The case showed discrimination against religion and race among the jury and prosecution- both to the extent of judges allowing it to happen, even agreeing with it. Regardless of the U.S. attempts to correct the wrongdoings committed in this trial by protecting all citizens, especially in falsely incriminating situations such as this, and ensure that all accused will have a fair defense. Given these points, it is clear the Scottsboro Trial did nothing but open the eyes of all American citizens and help them see the flaws of the U.S. Judicial

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