Scottsboro Trial Research Paper

Briefly describe what the Scottsboro Trials were: (use specific names/details) The Scottsboro boys were a group of young African-American men that were subject to racism and unfair representation in trial. As the young men were travelling on the train to and from various job sites, a group of Caucasian teenagers were reported to have a conversation with a sheriff, where they claimed that they had been attacked by the Scottsboro boys on March 25, 1931. It was documented that a fight did indeed break out between the African-American group of young men and then young Caucasian men. The sheriff then made the decision to stop the train in Paint Rock, Alabama and search it. Directly after the train was halted, two young Caucasian women by the

All of the young African-American men were charged with assault and rape. The Scottsboro boys were taken to Scottsboro, Alabama where they were tried in front of an all-white jury. It should also be noted that all nine of the accused were “framed”, which is a legal term for deliberately providing false evidence to give support to convict a subject. In the court of Judge A.E. Hawkins, two of the boys, Clarence Norris and Charlie Weems were first tried, and then convicted of both crimes and sentenced to death, over the span of only two days, April 6th and April 7th, 1931. On April 8th and 9th of 1931, Ozie Powell, Willie Roberson, Olen Montgomery, Eugene Williams, and Andy Wright were also tried, convicted of both crimes, and sentenced to death. Later on, around these approximate dates in April, there was medical evidence that proved that the young men did not rape Ruby Bates and Victoria Price, although this fact was pushed aside. At this time, the International Labor Defense (ILD), which was the legal part of the Communist Party in the United States of America, formed in 1925 to provide support and act against racial segregation groups. For a brief period of time, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) sided

The ILD then pursued to have the case against the Scottsboro boys appealed. The case was taken to the United States Supreme Court. From here, it was a lengthy road for the defense. The Supreme Court then remanded the case back to Alabama Supreme Court, under the premise that the defense was denied the right to counsel. Here, Ruby Bates appeared to the court and changed her claim, then stating that she was not raped by the Scottsboro boys. From here, Ozzie Powell attempted to escape from prison, and was shot in the head and suffered permanent brain damage, and was released from prison in 1946. Haywood Patterson ended up being sentenced to 75 years in prison. He escaped the prison, but was later captured for another conviction and died of cancer while in prison in 1952. Clarence Norris was sentenced to death, but he ended up being allowed on parole and later died in 1989 of Alzheimer’s disease. Andrew Wright was sentenced to 99 years in prison, but he was given paroled several years into his sentence. Charlie Weems was sentenced to 105 years in prison, but was also allowed parole 12 years in prison. Willie Roberson, Eugene Williams, Roy Wright, and