The Green Mile

In a conversation with his friend in a nursing home, Paul recalls the events of 1935, while working as a prison guard in the death penalty ward. John Coffey arrives at the prison, a benevolent black man who was sentenced to death for the murder and rape of two girls. Paul discovers that John Coffey possesses supernatural powers and the ability to heal other people after he has cured him of an infection. Paul later reveals that John is not guilty of the murder, he just wanted to help the girls, thinking that they are still alive. Meanwhile, Percy Wetmore, one of the guards, and a cousin of a prominent politician come into conflict with the other guards because of his sadistic behavior. The next prisoner to arrive at the prison ward is Wharton, nicknamed Wild Bill, who was convicted of killing three people and also committed the crime for which John Coffey was convicted. Melinda Moores, the wife of warden Hal Moors, suffers from a severe form of brain tumor, and prison guards see the only hope for her salvation in John Coffey.

This event was the inspiration for the filming of "Green Mile"

Only after 70 years, it was determined that the boy was innocent and did not commit murders

Justice really failed in the case of 14-year-old African-American George Stini, who was sentenced to death in an electric chair 75 years ago for the murder of two white women. If this story seems familiar to you, as if you’ve already read it or maybe watched a movie, you’re not mistaken.

Allegedly, according to some theories, Stephen King found the inspiration for his novel "Green Mile", and according to which the film of the same name was made, in this event.

Real John Coffey

George Sitney from South Carolina is remembered as the youngest person ever executed in an electric chair, and the judge determined the innocence of this unfortunate boy after 70 years.

Almost no real trial

It was back in 1944 that their bodies were found in a ditch in the black part of the city, and both were killed with a metal bar. There were no witnesses or physical evidence, and the boy's constitutional rights were violated during the trial.

He did not have a credible defense, and his confession, which exists in two versions, seems to have been extorted, Judge Mullins said.

The sheriff claimed that the boy confessed to the murders, although there was no signed or written document. He went through the so-called trial literally alone. No African-Americans attended the trial, because, at that time, all the jurors at the trial were white.

The boy's parents were threatened and prevented from approaching him in the courtroom. They were later expelled from the city.

Sentenced to death in record time

Judge Carmen Mullis only acquitted an innocent boy from rural South Carolina a couple of years ago, who was sentenced to death for beating Mary Emma Times (7) and Betty June Biniker (11) in the small town of Alcol, where there was segregation. The girls went for a bike ride, after which all trace of them was lost.

The part of the rail with which the girls were killed weighed more than 19 kilograms. So it was impossible for George to pick her up, let alone swing hard enough to kill the girls.

At the time, he was about 152 centimeters tall and weighed about 45 kilograms. The boy was innocent, and someone "set" him to be blamed only because he was black.

The only indirect evidence at the trial was the fact that he talked to the girls the day before they were found dead.

The family requested rehabilitation

As the jury recommended, no mercy was shown to Stini. He was killed on June 16, 1944 in a prison in Colombia. As he walked towards the execution site, he carried a Bible under his arm, which the guards used as a base for sitting on an electric chair, because the boy was too short (155 centimeters).

The executioners had to let 2,400 volts of electricity through the small body of George Stini Jr. three times before he released his soul in agony. Only 81 days passed from the moment of his arrest, until his death in an electric chair.

One of the citizens wrote a letter of protest to Governor Olin Johnston, stating that "the execution of children was reserved for Hitler", which were very difficult words in 1944, in the middle of the US war against Nazi Germany.

The boy's sisters and brother testified this year at the trial at which the verdict was reconsidered.

- They took my brother away forever, and my mother never laughed after that. I would like his name to be acquitted - said Amy Rafner (78).

The family of the killed girls opposes rehabilitation

The family of the murdered girls objected to this decision, explaining that there was very little material evidence left from the first trial and that it was impossible to determine what exactly happened a few decades ago in the courtroom.

Back in 1944, the trial lasted only three hours. The jury consisted exclusively of white men, and it took them only 10 minutes to convict Stini. Three months later, they sent him to an electric chair.