Nearly 70 years after his execution, then 14-year-old George Stinney is receiving a second chance in court to prove he is innocent of the murder that cost him his life.
In 1944, Stinney, who was African American, was found guilty of the murder of two Caucasian girls, ages 7 and 11. His trial, which lasted less than one day, was held in South Carolina, where racial segregation was still common.
According to ABC News , lawyers in his defense are arguing for a retrial due to the lack of evidence during the first trial.
While most of the original evidence has since disappeared, lawyers working on behalf of Stinney have collected new evidence, including sworn statements that take him away from the location of the murder.
According to WLTX, the overall fairness of this trial has been in constant questioning. While supporters argue that Stinney was misguided and forced to make a fake confession, relatives of the 11-year-old girl, Betty Binnicker, have recently stated that Stinney was well known as a bully in town.
A ruling has not yet been made, but supporters plan to ask the state to pardon Stinney if the motion for a new trial fails.
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