Fla. Lawmakers Apologize to Family of "Groveland Four," Black Men Falsely Accused of Rape in 1949
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- democracynow.org - Florida lawmakers have apologized for what happened to four young African-American men in Groveland, Florida, nearly 70 years ago in 1949. The men, known as the Groveland Four, were falsely accused of raping a 17-year-old white girl. Before going to trial, one of the four men, Ernest Thomas, was hunted down and murdered by a mob of 1,000 men led by the local sheriff, Willis McCall. He was killed in a hail of gunfire. The other three men were tortured in jail until two of them gave false confessions. Charles Greenlee was sentenced to life. Walter Irvin and Samuel Shepherd were condemned to death. Just recently, Florida lawmakers passed a resolution saying, "We’re truly sorry." For more, we speak with Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America."
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He misspoke. Not decades of this type of injustice rather centuries
PREACH!
He didn't misspeak he knew what he was saying.
The FBI found the evidence that the sheriff murdered one man and attempted to murder the other one when they were handcuffed together and they didn't arrest the sheriff. This is disgusting. They should bring this to light and pardon them immediately. Sick bastards. The girl who is still alive who cried rape should be forced to testify in court now. Don't let her get away with it. I'm sure she is fine to let sleeping dogs lie but the family deserve to hear the truth from her. She may have been 17 at the time but she still needs to tell the truth. There is just no justice. Also the FBI need to apologise for the withholding of information of this terrible crime by the sheriff.
The bitch needs to rot in prison for the rest of her life.
WITH 10 REAL RAPIST WEARING SANDPAPER CONDOMS!
Somehow...that just doesn't seem to be enough.
They need to pay reparations to these people!!!!
American Justice is an oxymoron.
the apology is worthless.
elbert cates Sad but true
@elbert cates Exactly.
elbert cates that apologies means half as much as a gram of dirt from my back ward.
I disagree completely. Not only was important to the family but the admission that it was wrong is huge. Even today one of the biggest problems is the denial of atrocities. You can never get people to change if there is no awareness that anything is wrong in the first place.
They were aware of what the hell they were doing the whole time. BS! Now that camera phones catch those mfs in the act they want to make it seem like no one knew. ALL OF THEM KNOW AND KNEW! That is precisely why a poor WHITE one legged, one eyed, one armed man STILL would not trade places with a millionaire BLACK man to this day. You can't sugar coat shit for what these devils sand for!
with all of that information and evidence that he has this should be made into a documentary everyone needs to see this story
@Rebecca Perez was it allowed??
Yeah who gives a fuck about what happened back then hell watch roots black people has the month of feb
@JudahBenLevi fuck your god in the ass he is a rapest and murder
Robert Wayne, you are a piece of shit. Rot in hell racist!!!!!!!
the sheriff, his family, and all KKK members (+ their families) should be forced to pay reparations to the black community until African Americans no longer have to worry about white supremacists in this country oppressing them. be it 10 years or a thousand, they should pay!
Cyrus Wu i completely agree
No Reparations EYE FOR AN MF EYE!
I disagree, the law enforcement swine should be shot. Screw money, blood is called for here.
That's the wrong direction, brother. Our ancestors' reparations, payable to their heirs (we, the Descaas Tribe), is coming and sooner than you'd believe. Those who are registered with our organization are likely to get payouts first and/or faster. Join. It's free. www.descaasregistry.org/
There is a way. We can't fight an invisible enemy and randomly attacking white people is not the answer. Our answer is in making ourselves strong as one united unit with one unwavering focus: getting our money, creating, building and maintaining our own communities. We have a plan, it's bigger than any one of us, we have support from people that you'd never thought would be supportive and we are here, solely, to help the descendants of slaves in America through the Transatlantic slave trade. www.descaasregistry.org/ If you are a descendant. Join. It's free.
Can't give these men their lives back.
Disgusting, no doubt there are many more still locked up for false accusations.
Sure they are lmfao
prosecutors should be jailed not promoted
#JIMCROW
So all it takes is a public apology by lawmakers to feel free? After our antecedents were murdered and put through hell? We forgive too easy. Furthermore the injustice continues because the decision is once again in the hands of the white establishment as to whether or not the innocent Black men should be posthumously pardoned. It shouldn't even be up for consideration; in cases like this it should be required by law.
Watch roots lmfao
That’s it. Why are we so easy to forgive? To hell with your apology.
The hoax crime may be worse than the actual crime. The unprincipled lizard who accused these innocent men needs to be exposed for the horror she brought upon these innocent men. There needs to be an equal penalty for hoax crimes in a sentence that the accused would receive base on the lies.
Sometimes a movie is needed to bring cases like this to light, I hope Hollywood is watching.
It'd be a very depressing movie, there was no happy end for those guys.
Depressing or not, the movie needs to be made...
They shot that young man 400 times this was American Horror Story SMH
Hell yes 7000
Every last person who falsafied information & lied while on the stand & accused these young men will be judged harshly in due time
great story. Thanks Amy Goodman for fighting the good fight against racism and oppression.
Long live washington
This writer acts as if the fact that we have cell phone video is changing the game. Most of the cops that are caught on tape stil go unpunished because the the DAs are working with the police departments to maintain the status quo. For him not to realize that is pathetic, what's the point of writing a whole book if you still can't tell us what time it is.
that had to be so painful to live with. so sad
Who the fuck is hating this video.this men went through hell and i wish they were alive to receive this apology.imagine being born in 1949 when racism and hate is a big problem.imagine being black in 1949.i hope those white men that did this to these 4 men are in hell with unbearable suffering.this is a sad story.
Everybody, right and left agrees that this case was a complete moral failure.
IT WAS WORSE THAN THAT!
Everybody? I'm sure you misspoke. There are clearly many that rejoiced about what happened to these young men.
I'm from Groveland the Irving's mother help raise me.She was my Godmother. I have always heard the story but I never knew the full thing in depth. I didn't realize she was carrying this inside. She help my mother and grandmother when they move from Ga.
I am and continue to be in awe of the black community for their compassion for all with their suffering at the hands of white people.
Wellington Dunbar Not all of us are that forgiving
There is no one black community stop generalizing
I SHOULDA NEVER CLICKED ON THIS, THE HATE IS RUNNING DEEP!
Fuck yes hate will always live because black people can't move past the shit
With very good reason ...but nobody here is lyching white people ...we are venting our frustrations ....
The gratitude of the daughter whose fathers was victim of severe injustice is astounding and I cry.
My cry is with her and the millions being unjustly damaged by US imperialist plunder.
This is something I've learned about for years having lived in Florida. The only bright light from this is the hard work of Harry Moore, who was murdered by the KKK for his work for civil rights BEFORE the civil rights movement started
Jacob Clark conveniently the only “light” from this is from the white savior depicted in the story? The real light is Thurgood Marshall taking this case amongst many even when his white buddies urged him not to.
Kkk wow no one today was alive when slavery was in stop crying blame your own country there is still slavery there today
Robert Wayne, stop your bullshit now, Racist, heartless piece of shit!!!!
Forget their funky all-too-late apologies.... show their families the money. All they put those men and their families through, and they give apologies, but not
$$$$$$$$, smh.
Money give them some food stamps they will be happt
Wow! Resembles the Central Park 5 all too much! 😡
Groveland Four case matter is a typical atrocity that happens in Florida. I am personally aware of also I worked with and walked out of Stark Prison in the middle of Freddie Pitts and Wilbur Lee two Black men whom served 12 years.9 of those years on Death Row for a crime they did not commit and it was known that Freddie and Wilbert.did not commit the crime of robbing and killing a store owner by the name of Burnett. The.state authorities knew as early as.1year after the false arrest that the 2 men did not commit a crime but the White guy whom was known to have committed the crime refused to admit to committing the crime unless he was given immunity. The state did not comply because they did not want to admit that they made a mistake. By the way Freddie Pitts was serving in the Arm Force at the time and was not turned over to the Military. Also Freddie Pitts didn't no Wilbert personally whom he had just a hour before being obtained was asked to take Wilbert to the store to get more items for the party Wilbert.was given. D. Pitts
The apology is EVERYTHING--without a single penny--because it acknowledges the innocence of these young Black men...
Black men wow really we should be talking about black on black crime but no we live for the past not the future of black people
The Graceland Four/Lincoln Park Five. Mirror reflection of history.
Do you mean the Central Park five? Or is there a Lincoln Park five I don't know about?
What about the thousands of Italian Americans that were lynched down south in the 40's and 50's, for no reason but being Italian, olive skinned skinned hard workers and a threat to the Irish immigrants. Check out the New Orleans lynchings, but I guess if the victim is not Black there is no pot stirring and injustice mentioned...
The Trauma. An apology is Empty...There are some among us who know cash is needed & demanded
The original Central Park 5 case but with more tragic endings. Fuck this country. Rest In Peace Ernest Thomas and Samuel Shepherd.
Florida needs to pay these families for these atrocities apologies are not enough.
I know the pain. Hatred is like trying to support a 1000 gallon of water for ten years while forgiveness is letting all that water out ans feeling weight free. Forgiveness is a very hard thing to do for those that have never forgiven anyone. In my profession forgiveness is the number one cure for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, blood line diseases, etc. It is capable of saving any soul an eternity in hell especially when we turn to God through Jesus for forgiveness of our sins.
Did they got reparations?
Paul can't give reparations to dead men with no kids and very few family members that's why this was a SAFE apology for florida to give
How would punishing tax payers make the situation any better?
Chad Sweeney who cared when these 4 young men lost their lives for a crime that they didn't commit? Not only that, but what about their mother's, sisters, brothers or father's misery that they had to go through because of all of this bullshit? And I HOPE! The native white floridians get hit the hardest! Because that much hate doesn't die out this quickly!
Imabeatthot completely irrelevant. Most Floridian today weren't even alive when this took place, and even less were older than children. You want to take money away from people who weren't alive?
Chad Sweeney yup... at the least for the wages these kids MIGHT have made if they we're ALLOWED to live a complete life.
These false accusations are still in practice- in spite of public shame- THEY never learn A lesson
Fuck the apology. The state owes the family members a large sum of money, and frankly, so does the fed considering we know that the FBI had evidence of the murder and kept it under file. This is disgusting.
Completely bullshit!!! Pardoning a person after their death means absolutely nothing. The shit should have never happened. It’s hurtful to read about what those men endured. Fair trial after you have tortured them to confess to something they did not do.
It's now 2023, the judges, prosecutors and cops are still on the same program. At this point Black folks have had their wake up call and now have a choice to make. What in your life is worth dying for?
Willis McCall sounds like a true coward
As a native of Lake County, FL who grew up during the tail end of McCall's tenure as sherriff, he wasn't a coward, he was evil. His roots within the county, and surrounding areas were deep and the network of hate had a stranglehold on us for decades since the Groveland Four. Why it took so long to get him out of office is beyond me. I'm reminded of the Tommy Vickers case for starters, but even after he was gone, his successors were nothing more than cronies, even his son Malcolm had a 4 year stint from 77 to 80. Thankfully today when you walk the main hallway of the courthouse, there is NO mention of him anywhere. Whether that is right or wrong is a topic for another day. The history is written and no use in hiding it. Own it, discuss and debate the hell out of it until society becomes better and more united. All I ask anyone to not leave out of the debate is that Willis McCall ran as and was a career long member of the Democrat party.
Mad Dog Despactofite I love this comment because it’s truth. I would love to look up more cases. Starting with the Tommy Vickers case now!
WHO EVER LIED ABOUT THESE YOUNG INNOCENT AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN, HOW DO YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT.
What's an apology???
It’s sad but I’m glad they did apologize
This is pure evil original version.
I See the apology doing two things, removing the unfounded stigma placed on these young men and their race. Secondly it presents the truth to those who wish to deny the truth and accept whatever lie is being told to them, beyond that it serves no purpose for it cannot bring justice to those who deserved it and frankly it's a little too long and too late!Through the years of America this unfounded hatred of a race of people that have been horribly treated under the guise of great America, the land of the free seems to be merely a slogan for we still have the same races hateful groups that we had before and during the self righteous people who see themselves as demagogues as they mindlessly victimized people they don't even know or care to know! Mrs Sandra Bland, Trayvon Martin, Freddie Gray, Walter Scott, Aiyana Stanley Jones, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice and so many more. The lawless behavior of people in this time. Clearly does not seem to be much different from times past and noticed I said people not just police.
The lady who spoke about freeing her family from jail was just heartbreaking; that was a mouthful; I don't know why we don't see this happening today, but more importantly; these people who would shoot a human this many times are animals in every sense of the word; Why don't they do some kind of testing on these people; on their minds. This is not just sick; I'm more concerned about these animals that are lose here to do this to someone else; like cops! What is wrong with them?
American Justice alright. No closure. How were these guys brutalized for a crime they did not committ
Bobby Dubois should not be the one apologizing a white man should be apologizing because white people did this to those boys. If I was him I would have said a white man needs to do this. Okay as I continue watching I did see a white man apologize. But still the black man had no business apologizing. Not that an apology was Justice!
YOU EVER WONDER WHY SO MANY PEOPLE REFUSE TO SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
What an unbelievable story its outrageous .
AN APOLOGY IS NOT ENOUGH, SHOT BEATEN AND HUNTED LIKE ANIMALS. AND NO REPERCUSSIONS TO THE ACCUSERS MY GOD. AND I MEAN MY GOD. SUCH A DISGUSTING HATEFUL TOWN. MY VIEW IS RETURN ALL LAND REGARDLESS WHO NOW OWNS IT. OR TO THE EQUAL VALUE THERE OF. WIPE ALL DEBTS OF FAMILIES INVOLVED.
I live in groveland fl, I didn’t even know this happened
He was the devil
F an apology! They need to tonpay that family!!!
I mean people forget that the ones apologizing are more than likely the kids of the people who did this. I really have never understood a society where the kids have to right the wrong of the parents. The parents should be willing to do it themselves. The reason why we have this is because were in a generation filled with kids or young adults who would rather tell their parents to fuck off to pursue interests that make them happy
This is the most incomprehensible disgusting, horrific crime done to these young guys at what these evil predators who call themselves hu man did to these young guys really is inhumane. They shot one teenager 400 tumes. Is this planet Earth? This Man speaks as if Black People aren,t human. Where is the justice and why haven,t they locked anyone even from the KKK. Do you wonder why the U S and many Nations are experiencing b unprecident flooding tornadoes, intense fire burning, earthquakes etc. The blood of the innosence crys out to Our FATHER above. Their Spiritman is very much alive.GOD have Mercy on their Souls. A day of reckoning is at hand folk, this is not a joke kkk and others who think like you. REpent or Else!!! Thankyou Amy Goodman for standing up for Righteousness in times of adversity. May GOD grant you well done
I geuss it's not a lynching if the state does it
I've been through this my self, white supremacist justice
An apology! 🙄🤦🏽♀️
There's no justice for just us!
“How To Kill A Black Man A Get Away With It”
They sld give them $70 million each for their mistake in keeping them in prison for so long. They will never get their lives back that they missed out on.
Give the whores some chicken
To little to late!
Scottsboro boys ???? Y'all did this shit again????
No wonder Florida got so much turmoil. Just too many bad come out of that state.
should dig up the sheriff and set fire to the remains, they mgiht be poisening the local environment
Hang the bastards
That apology means absolutely NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING. YOU PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
It wasn't a fair trial
Just an apology! Really! Go figure! Your days are numbered! The Most Highs wrath is upon you! This one you won't escape!
Really 🤔
But what else do the families get? SMH!
We need to write our own history
Food stamps and warfare
A sane Person could not do what the Lord has in mind to do race and otherwise He had to put the right Fools in place to do His will its praying time. D. Pitts prepaid yourself for positive changed for the Lord said before His word fail Heaven and earth will pass away. Pitts
. . .TOO LATE! . as usual. . . .
All people living today that got their money from the ancestors that used slave labor should give all that money back!!!!!
That kind of injustice hurts me to hear these things. America need to pay us all reparations and let us go back home to our Land in Israel.
Make this into a movie so we can see it and never forget
Cut that damn check!!!!!
Gahahah
Pay that Family ,and the Rest of the family's who they wrongfully convinced! Millions Due to the Family's.
DID THEY AND FAMILIES GET MONEY? THIS IS PURE EVIL, WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM!!!
First
As a native of Lake County Florida who grew up during the McCall era. I know how evil he was and how wrong the system was in covering up everything he did. Yet, nothing was done, he kept being re-elected time after time. Around here, he was a SUPERSTAR of the Democrat party and they embraced him and his method of Law enforcement from 1944 to 1972. The only part of this video I take issue with is when the author likens the great Jurist Thurgood Marshall to the modern day radical movement "Black Lives Matter". Justice Marshall embodied all of the things that the Civil Rights movement was about. Equal protection under the law. What Dr King strived to do in the public arena, Justice Marshall strived to accomplish in the legal arena. Their shared goal was Unity and Equality without the use of violence and the shedding of blood and the loss of life. For the words Thurgood Marshall and Black Lives Matter to come out that mans mouth only degrades the stellar reputation of one of the great pioneers of modern Civil Rights in America.
The courageous Thurgood Marshall was 100 percent all about Black lives matter...
Greg the hammered: Thurgood was Black..