Civil rights attorney gives lecture
April 13, 2007
Law students and members of the MU community were able to take a glimpse into history during professor Steve Easton's Famous Trials class Wednesday.
Easton opened the classroom to attorney Doug Jones, who successfully prosecuted the "single most violent action of the civil rights movement," Easton said.
Jones delivered a presentation called "Justice Delayed" and discussed his successful prosecution of both Thomas Blanton and Bobby Frank Cherry in connection with the murders of four young girls in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala.
Although the bombing occurred in the heat of the American civil rights movement, successful prosecution of the men involved did not occur until 2000 and 2002, respectively. Both Blanton and Cherry are serving life sentences in Alabama prisons.
"It was like the whole world was shaking," Jones said, quoting the mother of Carole Robertson, one of four girls murdered.
This quote, Jones said, became a mantra for the two cases he prosecuted because jurors could relate to the feeling, even though some of them had not yet been born when the church was destroyed.
"This was a very old case, but we wanted to make sure that our jury understood that this was not just about history," Jones said. "This was about family, this was about victims that lost children and innocent children who lost their lives."
Unlike many who followed the case, Jones made a connection to other civil rights cases.
"I really believe that a lot of what happened started with the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954," Jones said.
During his presentation, Jones showed his audience a video clip that displayed Cherry in an altercation outside of a school in Alabama. During the incident, he was seen producing brass knuckles from his pocket.
When prosecuting Cherry, Jones used this video footage to show Cherry's violent nature. His defense lawyers never contested his identity.
Easton said though other speakers have been invited to speak during his Famous Trials class, he chose to approach the dean to invite the public because of the weight of the subject matter.
"Basically, Doug came because he knows me," Easton said. "We're both former U.S. attorneys and got to know each other, and this topic fit into my class."
Jones introduced his personal connections to this case at the beginning of his lecture by discussing its relevance to him as an Alabama resident.
"What happened was not something that really affected me until I understood what was going on and got into college, and particularly, the first of these cases actually got trial in 1977," he said.
Easton said Jones's personal connection to the 1963 bombings is still visible.
"Personally, I am of the view that attorneys should care about their cases," he said. "I think what happens in courtrooms is very important, and I like to let the future lawyers know that it is OK to care about your cases. Go in there and do what you think is right. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose."
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