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George Stinney
George Stinney was executed in 1944 by the state of South Carolina, he was 14 years old. George had confessed to murdering two young white girls, ages 8 and 11. His trial began one month after his arrest. George's court appointed attorney was an aspiring politician who did not present any evidence on his client's behalf. He did not cross examine witness, nor did he ask to have his client evaluated. The trial lasted only a few hours and the jury (all white males) convicted him and asked for no leniency after only ten minutes of deliberation.

After the conviction, the attorney did not tell George that they could appeal. The execution would have been automatically stayed for at least a year if the attorney had filed a one sentence notice of appeal and then appealed the case to the state Supreme Court. But he did nothing, in fact he never saw his client again.

Stinney was executed just six weeks after his conviction. he was only 5'1" and weighed only 95 pounds. He was so small that the guards had difficulty strapping him into the electric chair. When the guards finally had George in place the hidden executioner began the first jolt of electricity, causing the mask to fall from George's face, revealing the horrors of electrocution.

Prior to the trial, George's family was told that they should leave town quickly to avoid any further retribution. This poor black family did as it was told and George was left to die an ugly death all alone.
 
 


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