A Small Measure of Justice

Killen will stay in jail
By Jerry Mitchelll
Clarion Ledger

PHILADELPHIA — Circuit
Judge Marcus Gordon concluded today that Edgar Ray Killen should remain
in prison while he appeals his conviction for organizing the Klansmen
who killed James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner on June
21, 1964.

“I’m not sure I have the authority”
to grant an appeal bond, Gordon said at a hearing here Friday on
Killen’s request to get out of jail. He noted that the state Supreme
Court had rejected on a technicality the appeal of his decision to
rescind an earlier appeal bond and that Killen’s lawyers had not
refiled an appeal.

But Gordon added, even if he had the authority, there is “no evidence presented today” that would compel him to release Killen.

It is a sad irony to have to keep advocating for the right thing to happen in just this very small corner of the vast map of injustices in Mississippi. Still I am glad Killen will continue to do a little more of the time he deserves. He will not live long enough to adequately suffer appropriate consequences for his actions.