George Stinney is an African American old boy. He was wrongfully convicted at the age of fourteen for the murder of two young girls. These girls were named Betty June Binnicker who was eleven years old and Mary Emma Thames who was seven years old. This incident happened in George Stinney’s hometown known as Alcolu in North Carolina.
When George Stinney was alive, he lived with parents in Alcolu, North Carolina. He is blessed with four siblings. George Stinney was not from a wealthy home and they were also black Americans.
On March 23, 1944, the body of Betty June and Emma Thames were found inside a ditch since they didn’t return home since the previous night. These girls were found on the African American side of Alcolu in which Stinney’s father also helped them to search for the two girls.
According to people, the girls were seen last riding their bicycle and looking for flowers. When these girls were found, they had been beaten with weapons like iron which was found close to them.
George Stinney and his elder brother John were arrested as the prime suspect of the murder act. After some days, George Stinney’s elder brother John, was released and George Stinney was still detained. None of his family members were allowed to see him until the day of his trial. George Stinney also said that the officers in charge of his arrest starved him and gave him food so that he will confess.
Before the death of the girls, George was always involved in fights in school including the one in which he scratched a girl with a knife.
Due to George Stinney’s case, his father was sacked at the sawmill in which he works and his family had to vacate the company’s house. Since none of his family members were allowed to visit him, he had no support.
He was detained in Columbia which was fifty miles away from where his parents live. Stinney was questioned alone and all was the confessions given by the officers who were in charge of his case was recorded. Stinney was detained for eighty one days without seeing his supporters.
On the day of his trial, more than one thousand whites gained entrance to the courtroom. His trial was less than ten minutes and George Stinney was sentenced to death by electrocution.
George Stinney’s family and churches appealed to Governor Johnston for his clemency due to the age of the young boy and others wanted the execution to start.
Stinney was executed by 7:30pm on June 16 1944. He was placed on the electric chair and a Bible was used to boost the seat because Stinney was very small for the chair. Only his father was allowed to approach him so as to say his last words to his son. George was also asked to say his last work but he only shook his head. George was really crying and he gave up. George Stinney was buried in Crowley.
In 2004, George Frierson who grew up in Alcolu investigated the case. Later, George Stinney was not found guilty of murder. It was stated that George cannot carry the iron used to kill those girls. This was later finalized after seventy years.
The story of George Stinney remains one of the saddest stories in history. I’m crying right now because it’s so hurting. I hope George Stinney’s soul Rest In Peace. I’ll never forget the story.
Now let me ask some questions:
Why was he just accused without proper investigation?
Why were his family members not allowed to see him when he was in detention?
Why was he starved and given food which was used as a bribe to make him confess?
Why was there no recorded voice notes of the confession??
This is pure wickedness. I’m sad. I hope he finds peace afterlife.
Source of image is reddit.com
This is a fight as old as time, being a black man in a white man's country has been indirectly tagged as a crime. It's almost like the jail was created for a black man, with no fair trials or hearings. The system appears to be rigged... It can be very upsetting so I do my best not to write anything on the topic. No matter how many times we protest, I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon.