Nine Scottsboro Boys Research Paper

501 Words3 Pages

On Mar 25, 1931, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, nine youths were wrongly convicted of rape. Combined, they had a total of 130 years in prison. They were on a train that is now called the Nine Scottsboro Boys, which includes Charlie Weems, 19, Ozie Powell 16, Clarence Norris 19, Andrew Wright 19, Leroy Wright 13, Olen Montgomery 17, Willie Roberson 17, Eugene Williams 13, and Patterson. There was also a white man and, lastly, 2 women, Ruby Bates (17) and Victoria Price (21). The white man stepped on the 18-year-old Haywood Patterson's hand. Which then led to a physical fight and ended with the white man almost falling off the train, causing them to get kicked off the train. To not get arrested, Ruby Bates and Victoria Price accused the black men …show more content…

In the case of the youngest, Leroy Wright (13), it ended in a hung jury. He would remain in prison until 1937. The other youths won a stay of execution while the party's legal arm. The ILD launched a national effort to win support for the Scottsboro Nine through public gatherings. In March 1932, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld the conviction of all but Williams. Since he was a minor and should not be tried as an adult. In November 1932, due process was denied since the young men were not given the right to adequate counsel in the original trial. Later, Ruby Bates took back her testimony and testified for the defense. And proved that the rape did not happen. But yet another all-white male jury still recommended the death penalty. With more review, Judge Horton overruled the jury and ordered a new trial. In an additional series of trials, all-white juries reached more guilty verdicts and again issued death sentences. In 1936, Patterson was convicted for the 4th time and was sentenced to prison to 75 years. After Patterson was sentenced to prison, Powell was shot in the head after attacking a deputy sheriff with a knife, and both men