Essay about The West Memphis Three

Although many believe that racism and segregation have declined over the years, The Washington Post notes, in a 2016 analysis, that black Americans are 2.5 times as likely as white Americans to be shot and killed by police officers (Lowery). In the 1930s and 1950s, Tom Robinson, Emmett Till, and the nine Scottsboro boys were sentenced to death after facing an all-white jury for a crime they did not commit. In 1931, nine, young, unemployed, black men were falsely accused of raping two white women, Ruby Bates and Victoria Price. Their sentence to death after facing an all-white jury sparked rallies and parades, which successfully changed the unfair verdict of their trial. Similarly, a fourteen-year-old boy named Emmett Till was unjustly murdered after allegedly whistling at a white store owner, Carolyn Bryant. A few days later, he was found in a nearby river, and his mother arranged for a public funeral to expose the racial prejudice her son faced in Mississippi. The perpetrators were acquitted of all charges when tried in front of an all white jury. In the Scottsboro incident, the Murder of Emmett Till, and To Kill a Mockingbird, innocent men were victims of the society’s racial prejudice and convicted of crimes they did not commit.

The people of West Memphis were convinced this was an act of satanic evil. From the jump police said that they believed that these brutal killings were a sacrifice to satan from the way that the bodies were tied up. According to The Truth Behind Echols v. State: How an Alford Guilty Plea saved the West Memphis Three; Detectives found all three bodies naked and hog-tied, mutilated with wounds that had been allegedly caused by a serrated knife, and bruised from what investigators deemed to be the result of sexual abuse. The police conclution of this being part of a satanic ritual lead them to believe that Echols was responsible because he is a self proclaimed

The racial tension and confession of KKK members surrounding the murder are also very suspicious. Were the confessions thoroughly investigated? Witnesses of many of the child murders also note two black men, not one. It is very hard to believe that only one person acted alone to plan, kidnap, and murder all 30 victims of a two-year span. If Williams was guilty, should it have been more evidence and convicted of more than just two murders? I am unsure if Wayne Williams committed these crimes, due to the lack of evidence, the ease of the trial, and biological

The scales of justice are rarely in balance. In “West of Memphis”, imperfection within the criminal justice system is used as a central theme. Imperfection can be defined as an unsatisfactory feature. Similarly, town fervor, which puts additional pressure on investigators to swiftly come up with answers, bible-belt politics, namely, devil worshiping, celebrity clout, which leads to freedom from prison, as result, show imperfection in the criminal justice system as a central theme.

On May 5th, 1993 three eight year old boys were reported missing in West Memphis, Arkansas. The boys were found the next day, hog tied in a wooded area called “Robin Hood Hills”. After the case had been “thoroughly” investigated, the West Memphis Police announced on the news that they had found the murderers, pointing fingers at Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin, three teenagers who were different from the norm in West Memphis, making it easy for them to be accused. I believe the boys were wrongfully accused of this crime because there is a lack of evidence in the case pointing to the boys, and the crime just seems to convenient for these three to actually pull off.

Emmett Till a native of Chicago had no idea that his life would tragically end while visiting family in Money, MS. The death of Emmett Till had a major impact on the already rapidly growing Civil Rights movement (www. Biography.Com). Till’s death gained national attention to the small town of Money, MS after Till made a choice to make hissing gestures at a white woman. Till’s death was just one of the hundred deaths that were occurring in African American men and women of color.

Many people think they know and understand the criminal justice system based on what they see on tv on shows like criminal minds for example. However that is the version the media wants you to see. The version where the police officer becomes a hero by capturing the bad guy and thrown him off to jail. According to the author these tv shows are the modern form of the old films given back then portraying free and content slaves creating false hope and protection (Alexander 59). However those who are familiar with the criminal justice system know that the system is nothing compared to what is displayed on tv. Alexander states that we have a very harsh system, many trails never make it to court, innocent people declare themselves guilty in order to obtain a plea bargain and escape impending sentences, and children as young as fourteen in some instances being trailed as adults (Alexander 54).

Emmett Till: How Race, Class, and Gender lead to His Murder and a Nonguilty Ruling Emmett Till was an African American, 14-year-old boy, from Chicago who was kidnapped, brutally tortured, murdered, and dumped in a river by two adult white males, Bryant and Milam, after being accused of whistling at a white woman, Carolyn Bryant. Tills case ended up being nationally watched and broadcasted after his mother, Mamie Till, chose to have an open casket funeral in Chicago. Ms. Till reached out to newspapers in Chicago, civil rights leaders, and the African American community to fight for justice for her son. As well as, utilized the new technologies to propelled national interest in the case. Despite, the efforts of Mamie Till and while being watched

Wrongful convictions occur when innocent defendants are found guilty in a criminal trial; When people are wrongfully convicted, they spend part of their life in prison while the criminal is free of punishment. The world has two million citizens incarcerated, about 20,000 people punished for crimes they did not commit (Ferner). Two thousand people are punished for crimes they did not commit, that is not a small number, so why do wrongful convictions occur? Wrongful convictions can occur for various reasons; the common causes are eyewitness misidentification, unvalidated or improper forensics science, false confessions, government misconduct, unprofessional lawyering, and informants or snitches.

    Dictionary.com defines racism as being, “The discrimination of a particular race, based on the belief that one’s race is superior.”  Nowhere in this definition is brutal murder and malicious beatings mentioned. However, these terrible crimes were committed on an innocent boy by the name of Emmett Till. When news spread of the killing, the greatest civil rights movement in our nation’s history was sparked. Emmett’s death was not by any means deserving or just, but it turned the talk of civil rights, into action.

America as we know it is filled with racism. Most of the time these incidents only happen because of their skin color. An example of this would be the Emmett Till murder case in Mississippi. The way Emmett was murdered caused barbarism in all races across the globe. Emmett’s legacy changed the view of people when they think about racial issues.

According to FBI 2010 UCR report, there was fifty-five homicide death reported, it’s second highest in the state of Tennessee after Memphis. Losing someone who we loved through homicide would be one of the most shocking experience, In my life period I haven’t experienced any homicide which includes my loved ones, I come from the peaceful neighborhood, since I was the child I grew up in a peaceful environment, there was low violence but minor, dangerous weapons such as guns, biological weapon or even swords were rare. I’m thankful for the way I was raised, grew up without knowing crimes, drug, weapon, etc. But when I hear news about homicide I envision how would my life change If I lose my loved ones, especially my father because men are more likely to get killed in homicide than women. It’s always strange feelings when the person was with you yesterday and today they are not here. Shared plans and dreams are no longer there, all lefts are the memories which were shared with a dead person. Deaths are sudden no one knows when we’re going to die but dying from another human being puts more grief than other types of death. My father is basically bread winner at the house currently, so there would be many effects in our day to day life. My reaction would be the same reaction as when someone lose their loved one 's specifically father. In this type of situation, I will try to calm myself and call the police as soon as I can, I will give much information to the offices as I can, I

The murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael had tremendous impacts on the U.S. The impact of the three murders was large because they helped to propel the issue of civil rights into a national issue (Sinnot 1). Apart from affecting the Freedom Summer volunteers; the three murders affected black Mississippians and U.S. politics. Impact on the Volunteers

Edward Hull Crump was a colorful, yet assertive individual in early Memphis history. Without any formal education after the age of fourteen he rose to dominate political and social elements in Memphis for over thirty years. E.H. Crump started his rise to power as a reformer before his election as mayor in 1910. As mayor he set several goals for Memphis and all of them came to fruition before he passed away in 1954.

Without a doubt, I think we can agree that the society we live in contain many people who commit crimes and especially for repeated horrendous crimes, the only option left, one may argue, is to sentence these people to prison for many lifetimes. However, we cannot send every person to prison. Felons instead should be imprisoned for committing serious, violent, and persistent crimes. America is the number one country to incarcerate more people than any other country in the world. America has 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prisoner population. America incarcerates people seven times more than France incarcerates its people and 24 times more than India (Fanner Julie). Race and class are important when people are sent to jail because it determines how a person might be without knowing them. Also it is why we prisons vary in age, gender, and race.