[City Report] The ‘Who's Who' Unity TeamJune 22, 2005 Mayor-elect Frank Melton announced his transition team June 14 at an informational session at the Crossroads Building in downtown Jackson. Hinds County Board of Supervisors President Doug Anderson is chairman of the team. Peyton Prospere, former chief …
[Breaking] Killen Sentenced to 60 YearsMoments ago in Neshoba County, Judge Marcus Gordon has sentenced Edgar Ray Killen, 80, to the full 60 years possible for his guilty verdict for manslaughter in the James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner case. The judge sentenced Killen …
After Killen: What's Next For Mississippi?A common, and easy, response to race-dialogue efforts today in Mississippi is that there is racism everywhere, so why should Mississippians keep apologizing, or be constantly under the microscope.
Trial HighlightsDay 1 – June 13, 2005 – The trial officially got underway with jury selection. About 120 people responded to about 400 summonses. The court reported that the racial makeup roughly reflected the county's demographic. There was brief excitement when …
[Irby] Thank You, Mr. McIntyrePHILADELPHIA, MISS.—Lawyers made closing arguments today in the State of Mississippi v. Edgar Ray Killen trial. I sat with the media in the courtroom shaking my head as defense attorney James McIntyre of Jackson avoided addressing the facts of the …
Cochran and Lott: Sign On NowIn the wake of the Edgar Ray Killen trial and the media spotlight on Mississippi, another tumult over race and politics boiled to the surface last week when the U.S. Senate passed a non-binding resolution apologizing for years of the …
Civil Rights Education Summit in Neshoba CountyPHILADELPHIA, MS – Public school teachers from around the region will converge in Philadelphia, Miss., June 22-24 for what is expected to be a landmark event aimed at providing teacher training through first-hand perspectives on the 1960's Civil Rights Movement. …
AfterwordOn the 41st anniversary of the deaths of Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney, one man has been convicted. One thing to think about is the fact that the jury would not convict Edgar Ray Killen of murder. Although his role in …
41 Years Ago and Still WaitingToday marks 41 years since the murder of the three civil rights workers in Neshoba County. As jury deliberation continues all we can do is wait. As you know, yesterday after only 2 or so hours of deliberation Judge Gordon …
Split Down the MiddleThe case was turned over to the jury this afternoon at about 3:15. We sat in the media center while the jury deliberated and at approximately 5:30 Judge Gordon summoned the jury into the courtroom. As of today the votes …
Monkey BusinessThe morning began as Jim Hood stood to address the judge while in the process of putting on his suit coat. He was sternly reprimanded by the judge for his lack of etiquette.
Updates - Days 5 and 6There was much—or little—activity in the courtroom on Friday and Saturday, depending on how you look at it. But we've either been in the courtroom, and thus no connection, or scrambling to get our bigger package ready to go to …
Cochran and Lott AWOL on Lynching Resolution[Originally posted June 14] In a highly publicized resolution last night, the United States Senate formally apologized for the body's failure over the years to pass a federal anti-lynching law that might have been used for intervene in lynchings that …
Court is in Session or Recess?The first day of testimonies ended up being less than predictable. One moment court is in session while the next moment the court is recessed for "some period of time."
[Lynette's Note] My Heart Belongs To DaddyMen fascinate me, and have for, oh, I'd say almost the entire 57 years I've been on this spinning orb. Men are deftly driving behemoth trains and trucks, fixing failed computers, making music on guitars and saxophones and turntables, frying …
Opener: Killen Not on Trial for ‘Knowledge' of CrimeWell, the jury was finally chosen and opening arguments were heard. There are 12 members of the jury with an additional 5 alternates. The jury consists of 9 white women, 4 white men, 2 black women, and 2 black men. …
Opening Statement/Audio GlitchThe trial's opening statements happened early this afternoon—but the judge forgot to turn the audio switch on, so only the people in the courtroom could hear it, and then only faintly. That means that the MPB and Court TV audiences …
Face to Face with Killen<b>photo by Kate Medley:</b> <i>Edgar Ray Killen is helped into his car as his wife and supporters look on.</i>
Just In: Opening Arguments Start WednesdayWe just got word that jury selection is over (or nearly over), and opening arguments will start tomorrow (Wednesday). It is predicted that the trial will end by the end of next week, although that isn't certain, of course.
Killen Trial — Tuesday News Round-upToday, the Los Angeles Times has a good news piece co-written by Jenny Jarvie (who was one of the reporters who saw the Klan wizard at Killen's house Sunday night). Jenny (who is British) seems to be trying very hard …
Thoughts on a Monday—in Philadelphia, Miss.There was an eerie sense of expectation surrounding downtown Philadelphia, Miss., on this soon-to-be infamous afternoon. It was quiet...almost too quiet, underneath the blanket of sweltering humidity.
Sovereignty Commission BlogDelta woman Susan Klopfer has started a Mississippi Sovereignty Commission blog to highlight relevant parts of the Sovereignty Files (which are searchable online here. It is very important to understand that murders of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner (and others) were …
Mississippians Wary of Civil-Rights TrialA JFP blogger posted this link in our media forum to an AP story about Philadelphia and the people's attitudes toward the trial. I decided to move it to the Neshoba Blog. It begins:
Barnett Confession Alleges Role of BurrageI was just provided this confession from 1964 by one of the alleged conspiractors in the murders. I have not verified its authenticity. It is pasted verbatim.
The Trial Begins ... OfficiallyWe left Jackson early (7 a.m.!) to get to Philadelphia for the official opening of the trial — although there is not a lot of activity to cover today. There was a bit of excitement when Killen was wheeled into …
‘A Wider Examination'?Journalist Oliver Staley is writing good stories in the Commercial Appeal in Memphis, trying to address larger questions along the way. He walked up to me today on the court square and told me that one of my old columns …
The Scene of the Crime ... and a KlansmanAfter leaving Mt. Zion, I took the women reporters to Road 515, also known as Rock Cut Road, to show them where the three men were taken and killed.
Calm Before the StormToday, I heard that the Killen trial media was gathering in the afternoon and headed over to Neshoba County to see what was up. The town seemed very calm, other than the mass of cars around the media center, which …