George Stinney Jr. was just 14 years old when he was executed in South Carolina in 1944. It took 10 minutes to convict him — and 70 years to exonerate him.
The young person in the United States to ever be put to death in the electric chair was an African - American 14 - year - old key out George Stinney Jr. He was execute in the Deep South in 1944 , in the midst of the Jim Crow era .
George Stinney Jr. exist in the unintegrated pulverization town of Alcolu , South Carolina , where white-hot people and fateful multitude were separate by railroad tracks . Stinney ’s kinsperson lived in a humble company house — until they were ram to leave when the young son was accuse of killing two white girls .
South Carolina Department of Archives and HistoryGeorge Stinney Jr. was just 14 eld old when he was execute in 1944 .
South Carolina Department of Archives and HistoryGeorge Stinney Jr. was just 14 years old when he was executed in 1944.
It aim a jury of blanched Man 10 second to find Stinney guilty — and it would take 70 years before Stinney was exonerated .
The Murder Of Betty June Binnicker And Mary Emma Thames
On March 23 , 1944 , 11 - year - old Betty June Binnicker and 7 - year - old Mary Emma Thames were riding their bicycle in Alcolu look for flowers . When they run across George Stinney and his youthful sis Aime during their journeying , they stopped and call for if they knew where to discover maypops , the yellow comestible fruit of passionflowers .
That was reportedly the last time the girls were seen alive .
File / ReutersMary Emma Thames ( leave behind ) is fancy with her fellowship in 1943 . Thames and her friend Betty June Binnicker were murdered the following yr .
File/ReutersMary Emma Thames (left) is pictured with her family in 1943. Thames and her friend Betty June Binnicker were murdered the following year.
Binnicker and Thames , who were white , never made it home that solar day . Their disappearance prompt hundred of Alcolu residents , admit Stinney ’s Padre , to follow together and seek for the missing girl . It was n’t until the next day when their all in bodies were discovered in a soggy ditch .
When Dr. Asbury Cecil Bozard examined their body , there was no vindicated sign of a struggle , butboth young lady had met violent deathsinvolving multiple head injuries .
Thames had a gob bore straight through her forehead into her skull , along with a two - inch - long gash above her proper brow . Meanwhile , Binnicker had suffered at least seven blows to the question . It was later noted that the back of her skull was “ nothing but a mass of break down bones . ”
South Carolina Department of Archives and HistoryGeorge Stinney Jr.’s fingerprints are pictured on this certificate.
Bozard concluded that Binnicker and Thames had wound that were in all probability make by a “ round tool about the size of the head of a hammer . ”
A rumor floated around town that the girls had made a point at a prominent clean crime syndicate ’s home on the same day of their slaying , but this was never corroborate . And constabulary certainly did n’t seem to be look for a white killer .
When Clarendon County law enforcement officers learned from a witness that Binnicker and Thames were seen talking to Stinney , they went to his home . There , George Stinney Jr. was promptly cuff and interrogate for time of day in a little way without his parent , an attorney , or any witnesses .
Jimmy Price/Columbia RecordGeorge Stinney Jr. (second from right) was likely coerced into confessing to the murder of two girls.
A Two-Hour Trial
South Carolina Department of Archives and HistoryGeorge Stinney Jr. ’s fingerprints are pictured on this certification .
constabulary claim that George Stinney Jr. confessed to hit Binnicker and Thames after his architectural plan to have sexual urge with one of the girls failed .
An officer named H.S. Newman write in a handwritten statement , “ I arrested a boy by the name of George Stinney . He then made a confession and tell me where to find a piece of iron about 15 inches long . He say he put it in a ditch about six feet from the bike . ”
Tribune News Service via Getty ImagesKatherine Robinson, one of George Stinney’s sisters, testifies to what she remembers from the day of his arrest. The 70-year-old case of George Stinney Jr. was re-examined in 2014.
Newman refused to bring out where Stinney was hold up , as rumor of lynching spread throughout the town . Not even his parent knew where he was as his trial quick approached . At the time , 14 was considered the age of responsibility — and Stinney was believed to be creditworthy for execution .
About a month after the girls ’ deaths , George Stinney Jr. ’s trial began at a Clarendon County Courthouse . Court - appoint attorney Charles Plowdendid “ piddling to nothing”to defend his client .
During the two - time of day trial , Plowden failed to call witnesses to the stand or present any evidence that would disgorge dubiousness on the prosecution ’s face . The most significant art object of evidence present against Stinney was his aver confession , but there was no written record of the teen admit to the murder .
By the time of his trial , Stinney had n’t see his parent in weeks , and they were too afraid of getting attack by a bloodless mob to follow to the courthouse . So the 14 - year - old was surrounded by strangers — up to 1,500 of them .
On April 24 , 1944 , the 14 - year - old was doom to die by electrocution .
The Execution Of George Stinney Jr.
Jimmy Price / Columbia RecordGeorge Stinney Jr. ( secondly from right wing ) was likely coerced into confessing to the murder of two girls .
George Stinney Jr. ’s murder was not without dissent . In South Carolina , organizers for both lily-white and black ministerial unions petition Gov. Olin Johnston to award Stinney clemency base on his young historic period .
Meanwhile , hundreds of letter and telegram decant into the governor ’s authority , begging him to show mercy to Stinney . Stinney ’s athletic supporter appeal with everything from the basic idea of equity to the concept of Christian justness .
But in the end , none of it was enough to salvage George Stinney .
On June 16 , 1944 , George Stinney Jr. walked into the performance chamber at the South Carolina State Penitentiary in Columbia with a Bible tucked under his arm .
Weighing in at just 95 pounds , he was dressed in a liberal - meet striped jump suit . Strapped into an grownup - size galvanic chairperson , he was so little that the state electrician struggled to adapt an electrode to his right leg . A masque that was too big for him was placed over his face .
An adjunct master asked Stinney if he had any last words . Stinney replied , “ No sir . ” The prison medico egg on , “ You do n’t want to say anything about what you did ? ” Again , Stinney replied , “ No sir . ”
When officials turn on the substitution , 2,400 volts surged through Stinney ’s physical structure , get the mask to slip off . His oculus were wide and teary , and saliva was emanate from his backtalk for all the attestant in the room to see . After two more shock of electrical energy , it was over .
Stinney was pronounced dead curtly thereafter . In a twosome of just 83 days , the boy had been charge with execution , tried , convict , and execute by the land .
A Murder Conviction Overturned 70 Years Later
Tribune News Service via Getty ImagesKatherine Robinson , one of George Stinney ’s sisters , testifies to what she remembers from the day of his apprehension . The 70 - year - honest-to-god case of George Stinney Jr. was re - study in 2014 .
George Stinney ’s murder judgment of conviction was thrown out in 2014 . His sibling take that his confession was coerced and that he had an alibi : At the time of the murders , he was with his sister Aime watching the family line ’s cow .
They also noted that a man named Wilford “ Johnny ” Hunter , who claimed to be Stinney ’s cellmate , said that Stinney deny murdering Binnicker and Thames .
“ He say , ‘ Johnny , I did n’t , did n’t do it , ' ” Hunter said . “ He said , ‘ Why would they kill me for something I did n’t do ? ' ”
After month of consideration , on December 17 , 2014 , Judge Carmen T. Mullenvacated the murder judgment of conviction , call George Stinney Jr. ’s last sentence a “ neat and primal injustice . ”
George Stinney Jr. ’s siblings were overjoyed to larn that their crony was exonerated after 70 years , appreciating that they were able-bodied to live long enough to see it happen .
“ It was like a swarm just motivate away , ” allege Stinney ’s sister , Katherine Robinson . “ When we bewilder the news , we were sitting with friends … I throw my work force up and said , ‘ give thanks you , Jesus ! ’ Someone had to be listen . It ’s what we wanted for all these years . ”
After reading about George Stinney Jr. , live over thecivil rights bowel movement in 55 powerful photos . Then , regard the harrowing images of theTulsa wash riots .
