The trials of the Scottsboro Boys, arose in Alabama during the 1930s, when two white girls falsely accused a group of black boys of raping them on a train. The men were sentenced to death, despite the fact that one of the girls later denied being raped.
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2 The U.S. Supreme Court 3 The end of the case |
The U.S. Supreme Court
On November 7, 1932, in Patterson v. Alabama, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the defendants were denied the right to counsel, which violated their right to due process under the Fourteenth Amendment. On April 1st, 1935, in Norris v. Alabama, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the exclusion of black jurors violated the boys' fourteenth amendment right.
The end of the case
In July, 1937, Clarence Norris was convicted of rape and sentenced to death, Andy Wright was convicted of rape and sentenced to 99 years, and Charlie Weems was convicted and sentenced to 75 years in prison. Ozzie Powell pleaded guilty to assaulting the sheriff and was sentenced to 20 years. In addition, three of the boys, Roy Wright, Eugene Williams, Olen Montgomery and Willie Roberson, were released after all charges against them were dropped. Later, Alabama Governor, Bibb Graves reduced Clarence Norris's death sentence to life in prison.