A QUICK Case of Murder Or the Trial of Lena Baker

A QUICK Case of Murder Or the Trial of Lena Baker PDF Author: Stephen Peace
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781095208144
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 86

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Book Description
This is the story of the trial of Lena Baker; the only woman executed by electrocution in the State of GA. In 1944 Lena was a forty-four year old black woman in Cuthbert, GA who was supposedly having an affair with Earnest Knight, a 67 year old white man. The jury was comprised of all white men. The jury deliberated for thirty minutes and found her guilty. There were no objections made at her trial and it was never established what kind of gun was used or who it actually belonged to. She should have probably been found guilty of manslaughter and gotten fifteen years. But because she had killed a white man, and not even a very honorable white man, she was given the death sentence. In a trial the very next day and at the same courthouse, but involving two black men with one killing the other with an ax, the man was tried and found guilty of manslaughter.

A QUICK Case of Murder Or the Trial of Lena Baker

A QUICK Case of Murder Or the Trial of Lena Baker PDF Author: Stephen Peace
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781095208144
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 86

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Book Description
This is the story of the trial of Lena Baker; the only woman executed by electrocution in the State of GA. In 1944 Lena was a forty-four year old black woman in Cuthbert, GA who was supposedly having an affair with Earnest Knight, a 67 year old white man. The jury was comprised of all white men. The jury deliberated for thirty minutes and found her guilty. There were no objections made at her trial and it was never established what kind of gun was used or who it actually belonged to. She should have probably been found guilty of manslaughter and gotten fifteen years. But because she had killed a white man, and not even a very honorable white man, she was given the death sentence. In a trial the very next day and at the same courthouse, but involving two black men with one killing the other with an ax, the man was tried and found guilty of manslaughter.

LENA BAKER, a QUICK CASE of MURDER; the Jury Deliberations

LENA BAKER, a QUICK CASE of MURDER; the Jury Deliberations PDF Author: Stephen Peace
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781976851759
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 110

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Book Description
This is the story of the jury deliberations of Lena Baker; the only woman executed by electrocution in the State of GA. In 1944 Lena was a forty-four year old black woman in Cutherbert, GA who was supposedly having an affair with Earnest C. Knight, a 67 year old white man. After a night of drinking in Earnest Knight's grist mill Lena shot Knight in the side of the head. She said that they had "tusseled" for the gun and she got it away from him. She said he then went toward the side slide door where a piece of iron was located. She was afraid for her life and she shot him. Everyone who testified at her trial was a white male. The jury was also comprised of all white men. The jury deliberated for thirty minutes and found her guilty. There were no objections made at her trial and it was never established what kind of gun was used or who it actually belonged to. She should have probably been found guilty of manslaughter and gotten fifteen years. But because she had killed a white man, and not even a very honorable white man, she was given the death sentence. In a trial the very next day and at the same courthouse, but involving two black men with one killing the other with an ax, the man was tried and found guilty of manslaughter.In August 2005 Lena was given a posthumous pardon by the State of Georgia Pardons & Parole Board. They stated that she had not received a fair trial and should have at the maximum been tried for manslaughter. In 1944 her sin was having an affair with a white man and killing him.This play covers the trial transcript, which has been altered and dramatized, and the "hypothetical" jury deliberations. Because there are so many white men involved in the trial both in testifying and in the deliberations, only four white men are used in the cast. They are double and triple cast in the parts. In the first act the Prosecutor and Defense Attorney are not double cast. During the trial sequence Lena Baker sits on stage alone. Lena is forty-four years old, wears a head scarf, wire rimmed glasses and has a dip of snuff evident in her lower lip. She makes a statement on her behalf, which according to State Law of the time she did not have to swear to or could not be cross-examined on. She was electrocuted in 1945. Her grave in a small Baptist cemetery was unmarked until 2004 for fear of repercussions and racial tensions.

Crimes of the Centuries [3 volumes] [3 volumes]

Crimes of the Centuries [3 volumes] [3 volumes] PDF Author: Steven Chermak Ph.D.
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN:
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 1837

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Book Description
This multivolume resource is the most extensive reference of its kind, offering a comprehensive summary of the misdeeds, perpetrators, and victims involved in the most memorable crime events in American history. This unique reference features the most famous crimes and trials in the United States since colonial times. Three comprehensive volumes focus on the most notorious and historically significant crimes that have influenced America's justice system, including the life and wrongdoing of Lizzie Borden, the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, the killing spree and execution of Ted Bundy, and the Columbine High School shootings. Organized by case, the work includes a chronology of major unlawful deeds, fascinating primary source documents, dozens of sidebars with case trivia and little-known facts, and an overview of crimes that have shaped criminal justice in the United States over several centuries. Each of the 500 entries provides information about the crime, the perpetrators, and those affected by the misconduct, along with a short bibliography to extend learning opportunities. The set addresses a breadth of famous trials across American history, including the Salem witch trials, the conviction of Sacco and Vanzetti, and the prosecution of O. J. Simpson.

The International Library of Essays on Capital Punishment, Volume 1

The International Library of Essays on Capital Punishment, Volume 1 PDF Author: Peter Hodgkinson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 135188753X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 361

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Book Description
This volume provides up-to-date and nuanced analysis across a wide spectrum of capital punishment issues. The essays move beyond the conventional legal approach and propose fresh perspectives, including a unique critique of the abolition sector. Written by a range of leading experts with diverse geographical, methodological and conceptual approaches, the essays in this volume challenge received wisdom and embrace a holistic understanding of capital punishment based on practical experience and empirical data. This collection is indispensable reading for anyone seeking a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the complexity of the death penalty discourse.

The Lena Baker Story

The Lena Baker Story PDF Author: Lela Bond Phillips
Publisher: Wings Pub Llc
ISBN: 9781930897076
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 120

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Book Description
"This is the story of the first and only woman to be legally executed in the state of Georgia's electric chair. Nearly sixty years after her death, Lena Baker is not forgotten. The small picture hanging in the execution chamber of the Georgia State Prison is a reminder of the persistant question "is justice being served?" --Cover, p. 4.

Women and Capital Punishment in the United States

Women and Capital Punishment in the United States PDF Author: David V. Baker
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786499508
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 439

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Book Description
The history of the execution of women in the United States has largely been ignored and scholars have given scant attention to gender issues in capital punishment. This historical analysis examines the social, political and economic contexts in which the justice system has put women to death, revealing a pattern of patriarchal domination and female subordination. The book includes a discussion of condemned women granted executive clemency and judicial commutations, an inquiry into women falsely convicted in potentially capital cases and a profile of the current female death row population.

Whisper to the Black Candle

Whisper to the Black Candle PDF Author: Jaclyn Weldon White
Publisher: Mercer University Press
ISBN: 9780881460469
Category : True Crime
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Book Description
The adult accomplishments of this Founding Father, architect of the Constitution and first Secretary of the Treasury are legendary, and in this latest offering, children meet the young "Alec" growing up in the Caribbean as he dreams of visiting the land called America. Accompanied by his parrot, Hurry-Up, and his companion, Poleon, Alec's tranquil days are filled with the books he loves and visits to the waterfront to greet the large ships arriving from Europe—until his uncle insists that Alec fit riding lessons into his schedule. Children will identify with Alec's struggle to overcome his fear of horses and cheer at his courage as he narrowly escapes a violent hurricane while on horseback, all while keeping his eye on the prize—school in America. Featured sections and fun facts explain what happened next and when Alexander Hamilton lived, providing young readers with a snapshot of the leader's entire life.

Encyclopedia of Capital Punishment in the United States, 2d ed.

Encyclopedia of Capital Punishment in the United States, 2d ed. PDF Author: Louis J. Palmer, Jr.
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 0786451831
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 631

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Book Description
This updated encyclopedia provides ready information on all aspects of capital punishment in America. It details virtually every capital punishment decision rendered by the United States Supreme Court through 2006, including more than 40 cases decided since publication of the first edition. Entries are also provided for each Supreme Court Justice who has ever rendered a capital punishment opinion. Entries on jurisdictions cite present-day death penalty laws and judicial structure state by state, with synopses of common and unique features. Also included are entries on significant U.S. capital prosecutions; legal principles and procedures in capital cases; organizations that support and oppose capital punishment; capital punishment's impact on persons of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American descent, on women, and on foreign nationals; and the methods of execution. Essential facts are also provided on capital punishment in more than 200 other nations. A wealth of statistical data is found throughout.

The Hanging of Susan Eberhart

The Hanging of Susan Eberhart PDF Author: Fay Burnett
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781720550365
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 396

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Book Description
In 1873, Georgia Governor James M. Smith insured that justice prevailed in Preston, Georgia. Enoch F. Spann and his paramour Susan Eberhart were tried and convicted in the murder of Spann's elderly, invalid wife. One year later, the two were hanged. But, it was not so easy to execute a woman in Georgia, especially a white woman. In the case of Susan Eberhart, the public cried out for mercy, but to no avail. A number of people were affected by the Governor's decision to withhold clemency, including the Governor himself. This tragic story exemplifies the classic struggle between justice and mercy. However in this case, the underlying themes of poverty, ignorance and mental illness complicate the struggle. The "Atlanta Daily Sun," a publication owned by Alexander H. Stephens, (former Vice-President of the Confederacy), described this story as "the most interesting case of crime that ever occurred in Georgia, and which is certainly one of the strangest in history of crimes. May we never hear of the like again." But, we did hear of the case again. The story of Susan Eberhart is one that simply "won't die." Her name continues to be invoked whenever a woman is scheduled for execution in Georgia. Dr. Fay Stapleton Burnett, a native of Metter, Georgia, is a retired dentist and first time author. Her passions are Georgia history, genealogy, and visiting St. Simons Island, Lake Russell, and all points in between. A "multi-generational Baptist," she is married to Rev. Brock Burnett, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Winder, Georgia. She shares her extensive research on this case based on historic documents. The author discovered this story through the involvement of her Great-Great-Grandfather, Maj. George Lawson Stapleton, Jr. "I have examined your book for several hours, and want to congratulate you for the prodigious research you have done on the crime and the punishment of the perpetrators. I don't think you have left any stone unturned in this notable effort. The book will be a treasure for any future historian who wishes to report on these events. Both I personally and The Carter Center have long condemned capital punishment as unfairly applied, often in error, unnecessary and counterproductive, and I have expressed these views in several of my books. I hope your book will help to end this barbarous policy in America." - Former President Jimmy Carter

The Billboard

The Billboard PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 854

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Book Description