Ex-Klansman Killen Freed on Bail Pending Appeal (moved from ATSNN), page 1

Former Klansman Edgar Killen was released on bail today pending the appeal of his conviction of the manslaughter of several civil rights workers 41 years ago. The story of these killings inspired the film Mississippi Burning. Killen is 80 years old and in poor health, so may not survive the long appeal process.

www.nytimes.com
Edgar Ray Killen, the former Klansman whose conviction in June in the 1964 killing of three civil rights workers in Mississippi seemed to close one of the state's darkest chapters, was released yesterday when a judge granted bail pending an appeal.

The release raises the possibility that Mr. Killen, 80 and in poor health, will die a free man after serving barely six weeks of his sentence.

He was convicted on three counts of manslaughter on June 21, 41 years to the day after a mob of Klansmen killed the three campaigners - James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner - in an incident that galvanized national support for the civil rights movement. Prosecutors said Mr. Killen organized the mob.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

It looks like the judge didn't want to do this, but had to because the State couldn't prove that the 80 year old wheelchair-bound man was a threat to the community or a flight risk. But it does seem unfair that he's being shown compassion that he certainly didn't show for the victims of his crimes.

Related News Links:
t oday.reuters.com

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
politics.abovetopsecret.com...

[edit on 8/12/2005 by djohnsto77]

[edit on 8/12/2005 by djohnsto77]