Executed at age 14, george stinney exonerated 70 years. George stinney jr appears in an undated police booking photo provided by the south carolina department of archives and history. Carolina skeletons, a 1991 tv film, recreates the horrifying execution of young george. Chilling story of innocent black boy, 14, executed after. He was convicted of murdering two young white girls. George stinney historical records and family trees. Mckenzie said he believes stinney was innocent of the murder and with no investigative notes.
Dec 09, 2018 in 1944 in alcolu, south carolina, a 14 year old boy named george stinney junior was sentence to death for murder. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The problem here is that author stout doesnt quite grasp the ironies of the current era of southern lifewhere former enemies have begun to rely on one another, and past hatreds are suppressed. Carolina skeletons 1991 official trailer watch on amazon. The story of george stinney jr was recreated in carolina skeletons, a 1991 tv film image. Aug 21, 2018 the state of south carolina executed 14yearold george stinney in 1944, but a judge from the same court declared his innocence in 2014. And no police officers with hats or anythingthese were men in. The execution of a 14 year old by john c abercrombie.
Looking back at the george stinney case photo galleries. Dec 17, 2014 a 14yearold south carolina boy who was quickly convicted of murder and then executed in 1944 has been posthumously exonerated. And no police officers with hats or anythingthese were men in suits or whatever that came. Carolina skeletons south carolina low country consortium. George stinney, south carolina boy executed for 1944. Carolina skeletons is based on the 1944 case of george stinney jr. The lack of any physical evidence or archived police and court records is the reason south carolina attorney steve mckenzie, who detailed stinneys story to thegrio, said he wants to reopen the case of the execution george junius stinney, jr. George stinney jr was executed in 1944 for the murder of two white girls. He was executed by electric chair in june of that year. Aug 20, 20 george stinney, jr 19291944, at age 14, was the youngest person in america to be executed since the 1800s. Thats the premise of this sincere but stumbling semihistorical first novel, based on an actual case.
David stout may, 1942 february 11, 2020 was a journalist and author of mystery novels, two of which have been turned into tv movies, and of nonfiction about violent crime. This clip is from the movie carolina skeletons which is based on that event. David stout based his first novel carolina skeletons 1988 on this case. Within a few hours, local sheriffs deputies arrested george stinney jr. Spiritualones deep knowledge main chat george stinney. In the final part of this fourpart series, david stout revisits his edgaraward winning novel, carolina skeletons, based on the true story of a 1940s doublemurder for which fourteen yearold george stinney was controversially executed. The current the story of george stinney jr youtube. In 1944 in alcolu, south carolina, a 14 year old boy named george stinney junior was sentence to death for murder. This book is a fictionalized account of the story of george stinney jr. Less than three months earlier, stinney had been arrested for the murders of two young girls in the jim crow south.
Because there was literally no evidence against him accused of murdering two white girls, he was just one of several young african americans rounded up the question of stinney s guilt and the judicial process leading to his execution remain controversial ie. It took 10 minutes to convict 14yearold george stinney jr. Judge throws out teens murder conviction 70 years after. Aime ruffner recalled helping her 14yearold brother, george stinney jr. Carolina skeletons is the author s version of how the murders may have happened and how george stinney jr. I had heard about george stinney who was the youngest boy to be executed in the 20th century. Stinney, george did this 14 year old deserve to be executed. This is the story of george stinney, jr, black male age 14 who was the youngest person ever to be executed in the u. Nov 15, 2011 carolina skeletons is based on the 1944 case of george stinney jr. This david stout attempts to do in carolina skeletons, a modest but intriguing first novel. Did south carolina execute 14yearold george stinney, then. He was awarded the 1989 edgar allan poe award for best first novel. Attorneys in south carolina say they have found fresh evidence that warrants a new trial in the case of a 14yearold black teenager put to death nearly 70 years ago for the murders of two white girls.
Judge says 1944 execution of 14yearold boy was wrong. To ask other readers questions about carolina skeletons, please sign up. Carolina skeletons, based on the true story of a 1940s doublemurder, for which fourteen yearold george stinney was controversially executed. Stout sets the first half of his story in 1944, opening with the brutal stabbings by an unseen assailant of little cindy lou ellerby and sue ellen clark.
Dec 17, 2014 an africanamerican boy, george stinney jr. George stinney facts, bio, family, life, info sticky facts. The book became the basis for the 1992 movie of the same name starring lou gossett jr. George helped a search party look for two missing white girls and was later falsely arrested for their murders. This clip is from the 1991 movie carolina skeletons which is based on that event. Dec 17, 2014 within a few hours, local sheriffs deputies arrested george stinney jr. After a hastily scheduled hearing only a few hours long, the jury quickly charged him with a double murder. October 21, 1929 june 16, 1944, was an african american youth who was convicted, in a proceeding later vacated as an unfair trial, of murdering two white girls, ages 7 and 11, in his hometown of alcolu, south carolina. The book won stout an edgar award for best first novel. New details emerge about an alternate suspect in alcolu girls. This idea slipped into public view through the backdoor of fiction in 1988 when former new york times journalist david stout published carolina skeletons, a novel based loosely on georges.
Judge throws out teens murder conviction 70 years after his execution george stinney jr. George stinney was 14yearsold at the time of his execution in 1944. The names of all the characters are all made up so that the executed boys name is linus braggs and the two murdered girls were cindy lou ellerby and. Accused of killing two white girls, betty june binnicker, age 11, and mary emma thames, age 8, george was coerced into confessing and was rushed unjustly through the system and straight to the electric chair. Stout suggests in the novel that stinney, whom he renames linus bragg, was innocent.
He was the youngest person executed in the united states in the 20th century. Based on true events, a chilling tale of murder and injustice in the jim crow south as a fourteenyearold black boy living in 1940s south carolina, linus bragg should know better than to follow the two bicycling white girls. George stinney was just 14 years old when the state of south carolina electrocuted him in 1944 the youngest person executed in the united states in the 20th century. October 21, 1929 june 16, 1944 was an africanamerican youth convicted at age 14 of murder in 1944 in his home town of alcolu, south carolina. An africanamerican soldier returns to his hometown, where, years ago, his.
One man takes on the irish family law system and the catholic church in a bid to be reunited with his. Carolina skeletons is the authors version of how the murders may have happened and how george stinney jr. Jul 24, 20 the lack of any physical evidence or archived police and court records is the reason south carolina attorney steve mckenzie, who detailed stinneys story to thegrio, said he wants to reopen the case of the execution george junius stinney, jr. In 1988, while working as a reporter, david stout published carolina skeletons, based on the true story of a 1940s doublemurder, for which fourteen yearold george stinney was controversially executed. It was the inspiration for the 1989 edgar awardwinning book for best first novel, carolina skeletons, by david stout. The court refused to hear his appeal, and the appeals on his behalf to the governor for. George stinney was born circa 1930, at birth place, south carolina, to george stinney and annie stinney. It is a very sad but true story which also illustrates the indifferences in colour and wealth in america during the early 1900s. Carolina skeletons by david stout overdrive rakuten. Nov 18, 2014 carolina skeletons 1991 george junius stinney jr. For his first novel, carolina skeletons, he won the edgar allan poe award for. For his first novel, carolina skeletons, he won the edgar allan poe award for best first novel. But something about sue ellen and cindy lou compels hi. George stinney, south carolina boy executed for 1944 murders.
A 14yearold south carolina boy who was quickly convicted of murder and then executed in 1944 has been posthumously exonerated. Recently a judge vacated stinney s conviction 70 years too late. Dec 18, 2014 it took 10 minutes to convict 14yearold george stinney jr. David stout based his first novel carolina skeletons. It took 70 years after his execution to exonerate him. When 14yearold george stinney was tried, convicted and sentenced to death in a single afternoon for the murders of two white girls in 1944, he had. This film is based in part on the true history of george stinney jr and on an occurrence at owl creek bridge by ambrose beirce. Dec 18, 2014 george stinney was 14yearsold at the time of his execution in 1944. A jury of 12 white men found stinney, a black boy, guilty of the murder of two white girls, betty june binnicker, age 11, and mary emma thames, age 8. Judge carmen tevis mullen vacated george stinney, jr. His youngest sister, katherine stinney robinson, later recalled, and all i remember is the people coming to our house and taking my brother. New details emerge about an alternate suspect in alcolu. George stinney was 14yearsold when he was tried and executed for murdering two young white girls in 1944. Buy carolina skeletons reprint by david stout isbn.
He was the youngest person in united states history in the 20thcentury to be sentenced to death and to be executed. George stinney, the black teen executed by electric chair. Part 2 of 4, by david stout in 1988, while working as a reporter, david stout published carolina skeletons, based on the true story of a 1940s doublemurder, for which fourteen yearold george stinney was controversially executed. Up to this pointwhich coincides with the first half of the bookthe story is. Carolina, for which the 14yearold africanamerican boy george stinney. George stinney murder moviecarolina skeletons youtube. George stinney was a fourteenyearold african american boy executed in south carolina in the 1930s. Carolina skeletons ebook by david stout 9781453234259. Their evil has been well documented, and that era, at least. David stout, writer carolina skeletons during the time i was doing the time of the research for the book, carolina skeletons, i read various statements from various local people in support of a clemency for george stinney jr sent to then south carolina governor olin.
For more than a century, white southerners, with the blessing of court, custom and statute, did terrible things to black americans. The state of south carolina executed 14yearold george stinney in 1944, but a judge from the same court declared his innocence in 2014. Too young to diethe execution of george stinney jr. Black sc teen george stinney, 14, executed for girls. On june 16, 1944, george junius stinney, jr became the youngest person in america to be executed when at the age of 14 he was electrocuted by the state of south carolina. Did south carolina execute 14yearold george stinney. Teens exoneration in 1944 slaying comes as relief to.