The Omaha guide., 1946-10-19
COLUMBIA Defendants
Must Stand
Again

NEW YORK, Oct. 1O-As con-
gratulatory messages continued
pouring into NAACP offices in
New York's Freedom House over
the unprecedented and historic
Lawrenceburg, Tenn. trials which
acquitted % out Of IS Negroes in
dicted on charges of attempted
murder, defense counsel LOBBY.
Weaver and Ransom formulated
plans in preparation for further
court action growing out OF the
infamous so called Columbia riot
of last February 25th.
DR.. Leon Ransom. former dean
of the Howard Law School, dis
cusSing further NAACP plans in
connection with indictments still
nending against the Negro defen-
dants stated. I'm a bit concerned
over expressions of jubilation over
the Lawrenceburg verdict. I'm
afraid that many people are Of
the opinion that this case is fin
ished and nothing could be far
Their from the truth. There are
still two Negro defendants to be
tried under the same indictment.
They are William Pillow and LLOYD
Kennedy and they're charged with
attempt to commit murder in the
first degree. They We're separated
from the main body of defendants
through a technicality. In addi-
ton to this pending action all of
the men acquitted in Lawrence-
burg must stand trial again on
other indictments, one of them be-
mo assaulted with attempt to kill.
The penalty for this is exactly the
same as on the first indictment.
We also intend to appeal the con
victions of Gentry and McKihbon.
the two youths, both veterans.
who were found guilty in Lawrence
burg"
Oliver Harrington, NAACP Pu-
bic Relations Counsel who sat as
an observer during the major part
of the trial in Lawrenceburg.
speaking in New York expressed
concern over some public and press
reaction to the Lawrenceburg de-
cision. although the decision ac-
quitting % Of the Is innocent Ne
groes was a momentous one there
is no cause for rejoicing over a
new and democratic South. de-
clared Mr.. Harrington. Editor
ials in many fairly liberal news
papers express complete satisfac-
ton over the trial and the deci-
sion. They even imply that the
South can handle it's W problems
if left alone. Nothing is farther
from the truth. These innocent
men were acquitted after the SOU
thern court discovered that Am
orleans in other parts Of the coun-
try simply demanded justice. The
appearance of a host of cores
pondents from both the Negro and
white press in the court room
drove this fact home to the court.
Furthermore, if the Columbia de-
PENDANTS were innocent of the
States charges then the state is
! guilty Of having allowed Lynn Bo-
mars troopers to beat and even
kill innocent citizens thus depriv-
ing them of their civil rights. There
has been no mention made Of this
fact in the editorials I've read.
c. B. Baldwin, executive vice
chairman o fCIO-PAC in a letter
to the New York Times stated:
Those Of us who have studied the
race tensions in the South realize
that real democracy will not come
to that section of the country over
night. Yet this does not mean that
we can let up one whit in u eff
forts to hasten that day, or in
the meanwhile condone decisions
such as this one and praise appro-
ximate justice. Does Southern JUS
| tice meet its test when it places
on trial the victims. the Negroes
and is unwilling to place in SINH
lar jeopardy the aggressors. in
this case members Of the white
community"