Post by MXB on Jun 9, 2007 6:34:12 GMT -5
Trial Opens in 1964 Mississippi Murders
As another trial began in Mississippi for civil rights era crimes, federal jurors heard prosecutors paint a gruesome picture of the deaths of two 19-year-old black teens who were beaten and drowned in 1964. They also heard attorneys for James Ford Seale point out that prosecutors had no evidence linking him to the crime.
A jury of eight white and four black members heard defense attorney George Lucas claim that "being a member of the Klan as detestable, abominable as it is was not a crime then and is not a crime now. My client is not on trial for being a racist."
Seale, 71, is also not on trial for the murders of Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore. He is on trial for kidnapping and conspiracy in connection with the May 2, 1964 deaths.
Paige Fitzgerald, special litigation counsel with Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division with Department of Justice, told the jury that Klansmen believed the Black Panthers were bringing guns into the area and that Henry Dee was involved.
"Charles Moore was in the wrong place, at the wrong time and was the wrong color," Fitzgerald said. "Charles Moore watched from the bank as they chained Mr. Dee to an engine block and rolled Mr. Dee overboard to sink. Mr. Dee couldn't scream because they had duct tape over his mouth." The Klansmen took iron rails and other weights and connected those to Moore and threw him into the river, she said.
Judge Allows Testimony
Before opening statements, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate made several rulings on allowing evidence into the trial.
Wingate ruled a friend of one of Seale's sons can testify that Seale bragged about "things he had done against African Americans."
The judge ruled former highway patrolmen could testify that Seale was arrested in 1965 at a Klan rally wearing a robe.
Wingate also ruled that a black preacher can testify that he was run out of Franklin County in 1963 by Seale and Archie Prather, who owned the land the preacher was living on at the time.
The defense argued against allowing any of the testimony in because it would prejudice the jury.
As another trial began in Mississippi for civil rights era crimes, federal jurors heard prosecutors paint a gruesome picture of the deaths of two 19-year-old black teens who were beaten and drowned in 1964. They also heard attorneys for James Ford Seale point out that prosecutors had no evidence linking him to the crime.
A jury of eight white and four black members heard defense attorney George Lucas claim that "being a member of the Klan as detestable, abominable as it is was not a crime then and is not a crime now. My client is not on trial for being a racist."
Seale, 71, is also not on trial for the murders of Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore. He is on trial for kidnapping and conspiracy in connection with the May 2, 1964 deaths.
Paige Fitzgerald, special litigation counsel with Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division with Department of Justice, told the jury that Klansmen believed the Black Panthers were bringing guns into the area and that Henry Dee was involved.
"Charles Moore was in the wrong place, at the wrong time and was the wrong color," Fitzgerald said. "Charles Moore watched from the bank as they chained Mr. Dee to an engine block and rolled Mr. Dee overboard to sink. Mr. Dee couldn't scream because they had duct tape over his mouth." The Klansmen took iron rails and other weights and connected those to Moore and threw him into the river, she said.
Judge Allows Testimony
Before opening statements, U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate made several rulings on allowing evidence into the trial.
Wingate ruled a friend of one of Seale's sons can testify that Seale bragged about "things he had done against African Americans."
The judge ruled former highway patrolmen could testify that Seale was arrested in 1965 at a Klan rally wearing a robe.
Wingate also ruled that a black preacher can testify that he was run out of Franklin County in 1963 by Seale and Archie Prather, who owned the land the preacher was living on at the time.
The defense argued against allowing any of the testimony in because it would prejudice the jury.