Comment on Supreme Court Decision on Counsel Fees in School Desegregation Cases; Press Conference on Capital Punishment

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TO CITY DESK 

ODAY I 

yEW YORK, “AY 15 -- THE NAACP LEGAL DEFES 

THE FOLLOWING COMMENT ON U.S cGUPREME COURT DECISION ON COUNSEL 
S. 

FEES IN SCHOOL DESEGREGAT ION CASES= == 

“THE SUPREYE COURT'S DECISION THIS MORNING TO AWARD COUNSEL 

N THE RICHMOND SCHOOL DESEGREGATION CASE WILL HAVE BROAD 

IMPLICATIONS IN MANY PENDING SCHOO 

COLEMAN, JR., PRESIDENT OF THE NAAC 

BROUGHT THE CASE. 

"SCHOOL BOARDS HA\ 

THIS DECISION “ME NS THAT PRIVATE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS CAN OBTAIN 

THE RESOURCES TO ENFORCE THE RIGHTS OF BLACK SCHOOL CHILDREN,” 

MR. COLEMAN ADDED. 
BOARDS WHO F 

couLD NISCRIMINATE WITH IMPUNITY. NOW THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY THE 

FEES OF PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE SUED THEM TO DESEGREGATE.” 

WORKING WITH MR. COLEMAN ON THE CASE WAS LDF ATTORNEY, ERIC 

SCHNAPPER OF NEW YORK, AND COOPERAT ING LAWYER, LOUIS Lucas OF 

MEMPHIS. 

LEGAL DEFENSE FUND ATTORNE 
EGATION LAW SUITS 

o1 BOARDS IN SUCH CITIES AS CHARLOTTE, DENVER, MOBILE, 

AGAINST 

NEWPORT NEWS, AND WINSTON-SALEM AS AMONG THOSE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED 

BY TODAY'S DECISION. 

A SUPREME COURT DECISION OF Last JUNE 4, NORTHCROSS V. MEMPHTS 

ALSO A LEGAL DEFENSE FUND-CASE ANNOUNCED THE 

BOARD OF SELON : 

PRINCIPLE OF COMPENSATING WINNING ATTORNEYS IN DESEGREGATION 

LAW SUITS OUT OF PUBLIC FUNDS. TODAY'S DECISION MAKES THE 

NORTHCROSS PRINCIPLE RETROACTIVE. 

THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND MAINTAINS A CURRENT DOCKET OF 265 CASES 

IN 18 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ON SUBJECTS RELATED TO 

EDUCATION. 

=0= 

/CONTACT -- RICK WOYLE OF NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE FUND AT 212-536-3397/ 

ae 



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/7FROM PR NEWSWIRE--NYC 212-832-9400/LA 213-626-5501/MIA 505-576-5020/ 

TO CITY DESK 

COPY TO NATIONAL NEWS 

ER oN EEA, 

THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND WILL HOLD A PRESS 

CONFERENCE DEALING WITH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT ON WEDNESDAY /JUNE 12)/ 

AT 3 P.M. IN ITS NATIONAL OFFICE, 10 COLUMBUS CIRCLE. ee eae 

ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO COVER THE MEETING. 

ON THAT DAY, THE FUND ANTICIPATES THAT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS 

ON DEATH ROWS IN 16 STATES WILL HIT OR PASS THE 100 MARK. COINCIDENT 

WITH THIS “BARBARIC” MILESTONE, THE FUND IS ASKING THE U.S. SUPREME 

COURT ON TUESDAY /JUNE 11/ TO REVIEW THE CONVICTIONS AND DEATH ) 

SENTENCES OF FOUR BLACK NORTH CAROLINA PRISONERS. THEY ARE DAVID 

DILLARD: ALBERT CROWDER, JR-, TOMMY NOELL AND HENRY N. JARRETTE. 

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ANY DEATH SENTENCES HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED 

IN THE U.S. SUPREME COURT SINCE THE FURMAN DECISION OF JUNE 29, 1972. 

IN THAT RULING, ARISING OUT OF THREE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND CASES 

/COLLECTIVELY CALLED FURMAN V. GEORGIA/ THE HIGH COURT HELD THAT THE 

DEATH PENALTY IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL WHEN THE SENTENCING AUTHORITY IS 

FREE TO DECIDE BETWEEN DEATH AND SOME LESSER PENALTY. THE FURMAN 

DECISION, WHICH HELD THIS FORM OF DEATH PENALTY TO BE “CRUEL AND 

UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT," SPARED THE LIVES OF 631 ON DEATH ROWS. 

IN THE INTERVENING TWO YEARS SINCE FURMAN, 23 STATES HAVE 

REINSTITUTED CAPITAL PUNISHMENT STATUTES, ASSUMING THAT THE STATUTES 

COULD MEET CONSTITUTIONALLY REQUIREMENTS BY IMPOSING STANDARDS TO 

CONTROL JURY DISCRETION, OR BY MAKING THE DEATH PENALTY AUTOMATIC 

UPON CONVICTION OF CERTAIN CRIMES. 

THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND IS ATTACKING THE FOUR NORTH CAROLINA 

DEATH SENTENCES ON THE GROUNDS THAT THEY ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE 

FURMAN DECISION, IN VIOLATION OF THE 8TH AND 14TH AMENDMENTS OF 

THE CONSTITUTION, AND IN ONE INSTANCE, THAT THE DEATH PENALTY IS 

EXCESSIVE AND ABERRATIONAL. 

THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUND SAID THAT THERE IS 

EVIDENCE OF CONTINUING DISCRIMINATION IN THE IMPOSITION OF THE DEATH 

PENALTY: 52 OF THE 99 PERSONS ON DEATH ROWS AS OF JUNE 6 WERE 

NON-WHITE. AT THE TIME OF FURMAN, 57.7 PER CENT OF THOSE ON DEATH 

ROWS WERE BLACK. 

THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND AND ITS COOPERATING ATTORNEYS, WORKING 

WITH DISTINGUISHED LAW PROFESSORS, HAS SUCCEEDED IN STOPPING ALL 

EXECUTIONS IN THIS COUNTRY SINCE 1967. IT WILL CONTINUE TO 

CHALLENGE ALL DEATH PENALTIES AREFSENG OUT OF NEW STATE LAWS -- 

AS WELL AS ALL CONVICTIONS ARISING OUT OF OLDER STATUTES. 

CONTACT -- NORMAN BLOOMFIELD OF ,NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE AND 

EDUCATIONAL FUND AT 212-586-8397. 

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/SUNE 10/