LDF Win Freedom for Georgian Jailed on 23-Year-Old Charges

Press Release
June 23, 1966

LDF Win Freedom for Georgian Jailed on 23-Year-Old Charges preview

Release of James Josey in Georgia

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  • Press Releases, Volume 4. LDF Win Freedom for Georgian Jailed on 23-Year-Old Charges, 1966. 2d30110f-b792-ee11-be37-00224827e97b. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/558474c9-de31-4565-b4a3-1aa2728c0854/ldf-win-freedom-for-georgian-jailed-on-23-year-old-charges. Accessed June 01, 2025.

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    10 Columbus Circle V 6 
New York, N.Y. 10019 
JUdson 6-8397 

NAACP 

Legal Defense and Educational: Fund 
FOR IMMELIATE RELEASE 

PRESS RELEASE June (23, 1965 

President 
Hon. Francis E. Rivers 

enyack (@mMbey FREEDOM FOR GEORGLAN 
JAILED (Ni 23-YEAR-OLD CHARGES 

COLUMBUS, GA.---NAACP Legi1 Defense and Educational Fund attorneys 

this week won the release >of James Josey from the Terrell County, 

Ga., jail. 

Civil rights law ers called the case a legal oddity. 

After having served 23 years of a life sentence for murder, he 

wag rearrested this spring, immediately after having been paroled, 

on charges stemming from th same incident for which he was 

imprisoned in 1943. 

The attempt by coirtry officials to resurrect 23-year- 

old criminal charges is beir) challenged by Legal Defense Fund 

LORS. as a denial of the constitutional right to a speedy trial. 

Federal District 2.dge J. Robert Elliott ordered the 

release pending disposition of Mr, Josey's claims that he was 

being held illegally. 

Terrell County is known as “terrible Terrell" to civil 

rights workers because of hostility to Negroes there. 

iir. Josey allegedly was the driver of 2 car that struck 

ag roup of white men on a hichway in Dawson, Ga., in February, 

968. Ten of the white men were injured, and one subsequently 

died. 

ir. Josey was indicted on one count 
counts of assault with intent t» murd E 
victed on the murder cha a .thou 
gone out of control accicenta_ly. 

led this spring after serving 23 years of his murc 
osey was rearre sted on the ten assault indictments. 

in bail totaling 15,000 
sentence 
He was he 

Legal Detense wyers angued that Mir, Josey, becausé¢ 

he is indigent, was entitl free without bail while legal 
questions regarding the new “ornesiggre cleared up. 

Representing i a Jesey are Legal Defense Fund [ rector- 
Counsel Jack Greenberg and ilichael iielisner of New Y vk, +.B. 
King and Denni= J. Robert: of Albeny, Ga. 

=30- « 

NOTE: -» furcher information, contact Attorney C.B, Kinu, Albany 
cas, (912) HE, 2+9879 or Michael Meltsner, NeweYor, (212) 
Ji, 6-8397 

Jesse DeVore, Jr., Director of Public Information—Night Number 212 Riverside 9-8487 Ss

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