George Stinney Youngest Executed in America During the 20th Century

[Dr. Cheese]

Slideshow: George Stinney, youngest executed in 20th century

I had heard of this case long ago, but this is the first time I ever saw his picture. Although he was put to death seventy years ago, he would only be 84 if he were still alive. He was from the county next to where I grew up. My Mother knew a woman who knew Stinney.

[Phalex]

14 years old? Damn!

[sandmangeck]

Man. That is sickening.

[Phil Smith]

Executing 14 year olds isn't really a good idea.

[macaroni tony]

Wow. Just wow...

EDIT: I was curious as to the actual evidence presented in the case. Apparently:

George Junius Stinney was even part of the search crew and told a bystander simply that he had seen the girls earlier that day. This claim was enough probable cause for the South Carolina police to arrest Stinney for the double murder, even though, the idea of him being strong enough to kill not one but two girls is a stretch. Despite this fact, the police hauled Stinney into the station for hours of intense interrogation, without the presence of either of his parents. Reports claim the police offered Stinney ice cream if he confessed to them that he committed the double murder.

Stinney confessed. There is no written record of his confession in the archives. There is no physical evidence linking Stinney to the murder. There is no paper record of Stinney's conviction.

[kesslari]

Very sad. Amazingly stupid and prejudiced "legal" system that cost a child's life.

[Relic]

This is pretty sad

[Dr. Cheese]

This situation makes me think of a story that my mother shared with me years ago. My Mom told me about a guy she knew from Marengo County, Alabama who was riding in a wagon to town with his father and other black men during the 1930s. They came upon white women who were crying for help after they had wrecked their car. The man told my mother, that his dad got the heck out of there as fast he could because he knew that if they were seen anywhere around those white women, they would be lynched. The women all died because no one was around to help them, and the black men were not about to risk their lives touching white women.

The point is that racism can kill in more than one way.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by macaroni tony

Wow. Just wow...

EDIT: I was curious as to the actual evidence presented in the case. Apparently:

Ugh, just awful.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by CDweller

Yeah, well thank God we have the death penalty to kill thpse people who really need killing. If a couple pf mistakes happen, too bad. You can tell by the low rate of incarceration that killing those people that needs killing works as a detergent, and you gotta crack a few eggs to make flapjacks. This fella probably needed killing. Thank God we get to kill the bad guys- thank God!

As someone who does not support the death penalty, I'm not sure how much the Stinney case impacts the current situation. What happened to George Stinney can still happen, but I think it is much more rare. The biggest danger is situations where a suspect is plausibly guilty, but he or she is denied the basic legal help to provide a fair defense. Those kinds of cases are much more difficult to appeal or overturn.

Although people never surprise me with their ability to be evil, I suspect a blatant judicial murder like that of George Stinney would have much tougher time happening in the current climate.

[CDweller]

A travesty and a tragedy.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

As someone who does not support the death penalty, I'm not sure how much the Stinney case impacts the current situation. What happened to George Stinney can still happen, but I think it is much more rare. The biggest danger is situations where a suspect is plausibly guilty, but he or she is denied the basic legal help to provide a fair defense. Those kinds of cases are much more difficult to appeal or overturn.

Although people never surprise me with their ability to be evil, I suspect a blatant judicial murder like that of George Stinney would have much tougher time happening in the current climate.

In my younger years, I did not support the death penalty, but now I do. I also tend to be less critical of our judicial system than many, but this particular case is an abomination. While there will always be some question as to whether Stinney committed the crimes he died for, he definitely was denied due process.

Seventy years ago, there was not instantaneous worldwide communication, and news traveled slowly. Today, his case would have been very high profile, and the pundits would have been all over it. Of course, Nancy would have him convicted on her show, but I'm confident civil rights groups would have made it impossible for things to go the same way for him. DNA testing could have exonerated him or convicted him.

The same sort of thing happened here in San Diego County a few years back when a couple boys were accused of killing one's sister. The boys confessed under pressure, but it was later discovered unequivocally that a transient had broken into their house and killed the girl. The media played a huge role in getting to the truth. Unfortunately, those resources weren't available to Stinney.

[Bloodhammer]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

In my younger years, I did not support the death penalty, but now I do.

What changed you're mind? Just curious.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

In my younger years, I did not support the death penalty, but now I do. I also tend to be less critical of our judicial system than many, but this particular case is an abomination. While there will always be some question as to whether Stinney committed the crimes he died for, he definitely was denied due process.

Seventy years ago, there was not instantaneous worldwide communication, and news traveled slowly. Today, his case would have been very high profile, and the pundits would have been all over it. Of course, Nancy would have him convicted on her show, but I'm confident civil rights groups would have made it impossible for things to go the same way for him. DNA testing could have exonerated him or convicted him.

The same sort of thing happened here in San Diego County a few years back when a couple boys were accused of killing one's sister. The boys confessed under pressure, but it was later discovered unequivocally that a transient had broken into their house and killed the girl. The media played a huge role in getting to the truth. Unfortunately, those resources weren't available to Stinney.

Although I'm not expert on the case, I am pretty sure that George Stinney was no murderer. More than likely, some adult committed the crime. Given the dynamics of Southern culture, it would have been impossible for whites to do anything but convict Stinney unless they would have been prepared to leave the community.

[Dr. Cheese]

Munji, does it bother you that even today, we feel that would take pundits and civil rights groups are needed to insure justice? I know nothing is perfect, but a functional judiciary should not need agitation to do what it is supposed to do.

I know this is hypothetical, but the implication is scary.

[seventhson]

Probably one of the saddest things I've read in a long time. I hope those ****ers are rotting in hell.

[Dr. Cheese]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Stinney

I was wrong about the date, he was executed in 1944. Above is the Wikipedia page.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Bloodhammer

What changed you're [sic] mind? Just curious.

I've just seen too many utterly heinous crimes that, in my opinion, warrant taking the perpetrator off the planet, particularly crimes against children. Before, I did not want to give any person or institution the right to take my life or anyone else's. Now I'll take the risk that I could be subjected to that punishment in trade for having the worst of the worst dispatched. I can't deny that social revenge is also an element of my view.

::: donning Nomex^® suit :::

I really don't want to argue that last point. You're not going to change my feelings.

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Munji, does it bother you that even today, we feel that would take pundits and civil rights groups are needed to insure justice? I know nothing is perfect, but a functional judiciary should not need agitation to do what it is supposed to do.

I know this is hypothetical, but the implication is scary.

Well, no, it doesn't bother me. I don't think they ensure justice in the first place, but their presence makes those in the judicial system a little more judicious in their application of justice. (How's that for three words with the same root in one sentence?) No matter what, there will be mistakes, some big, in our judicial system. At the risk of being trite, though, I'll take ours over any other in the world.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I've just seen too many utterly heinous crimes that, in my opinion, warrant taking the perpetrator off the planet, particularly crimes against children. Before, I did not want to give any person or institution the right to take my life or anyone else's. Now I'll take the risk that I could be subjected to that punishment in trade for having the worst of the worst dispatched. I can't deny that social revenge is also an element of my view.

::: donning Nomex^® suit :::

I really don't want to argue that last point. You're not going to change my feelings.



Well, no, it doesn't bother me. I don't think they ensure justice in the first place, but their presence makes those in the judicial system a little more judicious in their application of justice. (How's that for three words with the same root in one sentence?) No matter what, there will be mistakes, some big, in our judicial system. At the risk of being trite, though, I'll take ours over any other in the world.

I think that those most at ease with the possibility of fatal errors tend to be those least likely to ever be the victim of one. I don't think a criminal justice system can ever be flawless, but judges and prosecutors who are blatantly unfair or incompetent need to fear the repercussions of their actions, and that is something that our current system does not offer.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I think that those most at ease with the possibility of fatal errors tend to be those least likely to ever be the victim of one. I don't think a criminal justice system can ever be flawless, but judges and prosecutors who are blatantly unfair or incompetent need to fear the repercussions of their actions, and that is something that our current system does not offer.

I can't disagree with that. A judge or attorney has to really screw up royally to be censured by the system. It does happen, though.