Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-07-15

special mention OF the universal C0ur
tesy and hospitality Of the white pco-
pie Of Chesterfield toward the color
cd accused and his black defenders.
Bail was asked for Green and bond
was fixed at $4,000 which of course in
Green's case was prohibitivc. Green is
Il young man with a small family. At
the time Of his arrest he was the faith
CT Of one child and since he has been
in Jail another has been added to his
family. He had no funds to deienn
himself and the Richmond Branch Of
the N. a. A. C. p, took charge Of
his case and held meetings to raise
money to defend him. Lawyer Denny
was employed, but hardly enough
money has been raised to pay the eX
ponScs Of the trial. 1t can be seen wha.
a handicap the fight was made under
when meeting after meeting was cali
ell and little more than the expenses
OF the meeting was realized. Green
has been in Jail III Richmond ever
since the verdict of the Chesterfield
Court, and is now there waiting the
outcome Of his new trial. Already II
months in Jail with the prospect Of
having to wait until Il new trial can
be had. unless Il nominal BAH can ie
had Oh account Of the findings Of the
Supreme Court, makes long drawn
out legal contest wnged between tn,
commonwealth and q member OF the
Commonwealth, interesting, ut ieusu
to tho bar If not Green. It is, however
far cry from the days when a Negro
charged with a crime against n white
woman would have been hanged l.,
the most convenient tree, to day
wl-Hn Negro charged with any sort
OF CT me against any sort Of a woman.
may nave fair trial, thus saving the
law from being lynched rs we'll as tns
man. Until the day Of fighting Negro
lawyers. this latter day was never seen
ana unless Negro lawyers are given
lhe important cases at court, we will
aEa,n slip back into the dark DAYS OF
unprotect:on at the hands of the law.
IL has been said that when blacl,
man charged with a crime OF q grave
nature, gets a colored lawyer to defend
H. ne does so because he HASN'T got
the money to hire white LAWYER. r.
may truly be said that n white lawye,
ca'not defend colored man who "a
charged with crime against white
woman any more than a Southern
"nite man can be q true Republican,
Po'lt'c a'ly speaking. Then, il black
men expect to get equal justice before
the law, they must look to the black
lawyer to get it for him; for there are
Few lawyers who can successfully dc
fend themselves before a pure white
court. and white lawyers herdity
and training will not permit him to
gave the sort of protection black man
must have when he faces a white DO.
Nceman to arrest him, a white prose
cutting lawyer to jail him. q wnit.
jury TO mistry him and a white Judge
sitting on his case to see that he gets
whats coming to him."
This case of Charles Green, along
with the case Of Fletcher Moody, let
scot free Of a murder charge on the
plea Of the unwritten law, along with
tho Patterson case in Petersburg, all
or which have been fought successful
ly so far by black lawyer, conclusive
ly prove that black lawyer is respect
ed before the bench, at the bar Just as
we'll as white one and has as much
pull" as anybody else. Few people
recognize what little value "pull" Is
before court Of law and justice, ana
many OF us harp on the fact that q
white lawyer Stands" we'll and conse
quently can put a man on the streets
quicker than a colored lawyer. Abil-
-1ty Is neither black nor white, and the
Continued on Second Page.)