University of South Carolina Board of Trustees v. Wrighten Brief of Appellee

Public Court Documents
January 1, 1974

University of South Carolina Board of Trustees v. Wrighten Brief of Appellee preview

Norman M. Smith serving as President of the University of South Carolina. Samuel Prince serving as Dean of the Law School and R.C. Needham serving as Registrar all acting as appellants. Date is approximate.

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  • Brief Collection, LDF Court Filings. Moorer v. South Carolina Appellant's Appendix, 1965. 205198ae-be9a-ee11-be36-6045bdeb8873. LDF Archives, Thurgood Marshall Institute. https://ldfrecollection.org/archives/archives-search/archives-item/95860da4-5e06-40d6-bd55-da3813371848/moorer-v-south-carolina-appellants-appendix. Accessed April 29, 2025.

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Gkwrt of Appeals
F or the F ourth Circuit

No. 10,526

Louis Moorer,

■V.
Appellant,

State oe South Carolina and E llis C. MacDougall,

Appellees.

A P PE A L  PROM  T H E  U N IT E D  STATE S D ISTR IC T COURT FOR T H E  
D ISTR IC T OF S O U T H  CARO LIN A, C O LU M B IA  DIVISION

APPELLANT’ S APPENDIX

Jack Greenberg 
Norman C. A maker 
James M. Nabrit, III  
Michael Meltsner

10 Columbus Circle 
New York, New York 10019

Matthew J. P erry
1107% Washington Street 
Columbia, South Carolina

F. Henderson Moore 
39 Spring Street 
Charleston, South Carolina

Attorneys for Appellant
Conrad K. H arper

Of Counsel



INDEX
Page

Petition for Leave to Proceed in Forma Pauperis.... 1 
Affidavit of Louis Moorer in Support of Petition... 2
Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus..............  4
Motion for Leave To File Amended Petition for Writ

of Habeas Corpus........................... . 9
Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus........ 10
Decision and Order by Haynsworth,Jr. dated May 13, 

1965, staying execution of death sentence...... 19
Decision and Order of U. S. Court of Appeals for 

the '4-th Circuit dated June 23, 1965 Vacating 
Order Dismissing Habeas Corpus Application......22

Order ■'of U.S.District Court, E.D. of South Carolina 
dated July 6 , 1965 staying execution of death 
sentence....................................... 25

Pre-Trial Order...............................   26
Motion to Withdraw Petitioner's Exhibit 1 To Make

Photostatic Copies Thereof..................... 30
Decision and Order of U.S. District Court, District 

of South Carolina, Columbia Division dated 
January 3, 1966 Denying Amended Petition for 
Habeas Corpus......  32

Motion for Rehearing................................51
Exhibit Annexed to Foregoing Motion - Preliminary 
Analysis of Rape and Capital Punishment in 
Louisiana - 194-5-1965...........................56
Exhibit Annexed to Foregoing Motion - Preliminary 
Analysis. Louisiana Data. Tables I-XLIII....... 62
Exhibit Annexed to Foregoing Motion - Affidavit 
of Dr. Marvin Wolfgang......................... . . 8 6

Certificate of Service of Motion for Rehearing///...90
Additional Affidavit of Dr.Marvin Wolfgang......... 91

Decision and Order of Hemphill, J., dated January
19,1966 Denying Motion for Rehearing............ 95

Notice of Appeal to U. S. Court of Appeals for 4th
Circuit....................  95

Transcript of Record on Appeal in U. S. District
Court............................................ 97



Clerk's Gerti ficate 100

Transcript of Record in State of South Carolina 
Supreme Court, Appeal from Dorchester County,
Griffith, J_...............   152
Verd let............  152

Sentence...................................... 152
Except i on.................................... 1,55
Excerpts from Appendix - Charge to Jury..... J54
Verdict...................................... 1 .42

Transcript of Record in U. S.District Court for 
Eastern District of South Carolina, Columbia
Division..................................... 145

Order Settling Record............................ 200
Transcript of Record in State of South Carolina 

Supreme Court, Appeal from Richland County, 
Grimball, J_.................. ................200
Testimony in South Carolina Supreme Court 

Dorchester County
State's Witnesses:

Mrs. Catherin D. Johnston
Direct - 102

Mrs. Ethel Sharpe
Direct - 110

James M. Sharpe
Direct - 114

Dr. A. R. Johnston
Direct 117 
Cross - 120

Wilson Wimberly
Direct - 121 
Cross - 126

Sheriff Carl A. Knight
Direct - 126 
Cross - 150



Ill

Testimony in United States District Court,
Eastern District of South Carolina, Columbia

Division

Petitioner's Witnesses: Page
John T. Major

Direct - 217

Testimony in South Carolina Supreme 
Court,Richland County

Petitioner's Witnesses:
Cecil Merchant

Direct - 262 
Cross -- 266

H. H. Walters,Jr.
Direct - 267 
Cross - 274 
Redirect- 275,277 
Recross - 276

EXHIBITS
Petitioner's Exhibits in Tri&l in United States 
District Court, Eastern District of South Carolina

1 For Identification - Box of Schedules.........214
2 For Identification - Schedule................. 226



w  tm  w i t w  i m u  u a n i o r  m m t
mm imi s&srmm mwmict or momm ouhdliha 

ootuMUA nsvxflxoci

LOUIS MOORER,
Petitioner,

-va-

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA and 
ELLIS C. M&cBOUGALL, Director, 
South Carolina State Board of 
Corrections,

)

)

)

)

)

)

Respondents. }

„_______________)

CIVIL ACTION 
NO.

PETITION FOR LEAVE TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS

Petitioner, Louis Moorer, who is now held 

in the South Carolina State Penitentiary, at Columoia, 

South Carolina, ask leave to file the attached Petition 

for a Writ of Habeas Corpus to the United States District 

Court for the Eastsrn District of South Caroline,Colombia 

Division without prepayment of costs and to proceed in 

forma pauperis. The petitioner's affidavit in support of 

this petition is attachsd hereto.

F. HENDERSON MOORE 
39 Spring Street 
Charleston, South Carolina

BENJAMIN L. COOK, JR.
43 Morris Strest 
Charleston, South Carolina

MATTHEW J. PERRY
1107% Washington Street 
Columbia, South Carolina

November 30, 1964. Attorneys for Petitioner. 1



IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

COLUMBIA DIVISION

LOUIS MOORER,

Petitioner,

-vs-

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA and 
ELLIS C. MacDOUGALL, Director, 
South Carolina State Board of 
Corrections,

Respondents.

)

)

)

)

)

5

)

)

CIVIL ACTION 
NO.

AFFIDAVIT IN SUPPORT OF PETITION FOR LEAVE 
TO PROCEED IN FORMA PAUPERIS

STATE OF SOOTH CAROLINA )
: SS .

OOUNTY OF RICHLAND )

I, LOUIS MOORER, being first duly sworn 

according to law, deposes and say that I am the peti­

tioner in the above entitled cause, and, in support of 

my application for leave to proceed without being re­

quired to prepay costs or fees, state:

1. I aa a citiaen of the United States.

2. Because of my provety I ass unable to 

pay the costs of said cause.

3. I am unable to give security for same.

4. I believe I am entitled to the redress

I seek in said cause. 2



5. The nature of said cauaa is briefly 

stated as follows:

I have bean convicted of the offense of 

rape and sentenced to death. X an filing herewith a 

Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus in which I contend 

that my conviction violated the Fourteenth Amendment to

the United States Constitution.

SWORN to before me this 

_____ day of November, 1964.

LOUIS MOORBR

_____________________ ___________ (SEAL.)
Notary Public for South Carolina

3- 3



IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

COLUMBIA DIVISION

LOUIS MOORER,

Petitioner,
-va-

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA end 
ELLIS C. MecDOUGALL, Director, 
South Caroline State Board of 
Corrections,

)

)

)

)

)

)
Respondents. )

_________________)

CIVIL ACTION 
NO.

PETITION FOR A WRIT OF HABEAS OORPUS

TO THE HONORABLE JUDGES OF THE UNITED STATES 

DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA;

The petition of Louis Moorer respectfully 
shows to thi# Honorable Courts

1.

Petitioner is now unlawfully restrained of 

his liberty at present in custody of Ellis C. MacDougall, 

Director of the South Carolina State Board of Corrections 

at the South Carolina State Penitentiary at 1515 Gist Street, 

Columbia, South Carolina, in violation of the Constitution of 

the United States of America, awaiting the infliction of 

death (sentence electrocution against his will for the alleged 
crime of rape.

4



2.
The fact* in connection with the aforesaid 

detention and pending infliction of the death sentence 

will be presented to this Court, including proceedings 

originating out of the Court of General Sessions for Dor­

chester County in the State of South Carolina, the Court 

of Common Pleas for Richland County, South Carolina and 

all proceedings before the Supreme Court of the State of 

South Carolina and its decisions thereon.

3.

Upon the trial of petitioner in said Court 

of General Session® for Dorchester County, State of South 

Carolina, petitioner was convicted of the crime of rape 

which judgment of conviction was, upon appeal to the 

Supreme Court of the State of South Carolina, affirmed.

St*te v. Louis Moorer. 129 S.E.(2d) 330. Thereafter, a 

petition was filed in the Court of Common Pleas for Richland 

County, South Carolina for a Writ of Habeas Corpus which 

petition was denied. The Supreme Court of South Carolina 

affirmed the Order denying the Petition for Writ of Habeas 

Corpus. Louis floorer v . State of South Carolina, etc., at 

al., 135 S.B.(2d) 713. Thereafter, a petition was filed in 

the Super®® Court of the United States for a Writ of Cer­

tiorari which petition was denied October 12, 1964.

U.S._________ _ .

4,

Petitioner complained and complains that he 

was not accorded a fair trial and begs leave to submit upon 5

-a-



th* hearing herein the records in the course of the pro­

ceedings heretofore had in connection with the indictment 

and conviction and the appeals therefrom wherein and where­

from this Court nay be apprised of the contentions of 

petitioner and petitioner prays that such records be deemed 

to have been made a part of this petition by reference. 

Petitioner further desires to present additional evidence 

in support of his contention that his conviction in the 

State Court violated the Constitution of the United States.

5.

Petitioner complained in his State Court 

Habeas Corpus proceedings and complains here that th® indict­

ment returned against him in Dorchester County, South Carolina, 

was returned by a grand jury from which members of the Negro 

race of which petitioner is a member, were and are systema­

tically excluded or limited in number in violation of 

petitioner's right to due process of law under the Fourteenth 

Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

6.

Petitioner complained in his State Court Habeas 

Corpus hearing and contends here that the petit jury which 

convicted him was drawn and convened in such a manner as to 

exclude members of the Negro race, of which race petitioner 

is a member, or to systematically limit in number their service 

upon the petit juries of Dorchester County in violation of 

petitioner'® right to process of law under the Fourteenth 

Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

-3-
6



7.
Petitioner was convicted and sentenced to 

daath for having allegedly viol*tad Section 16-71, Coda 

of Law* of South Carolina for 1962, which statute is so 

vague upon its face and by application to petitioner as 

to offend the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amend­

ment to the United States Constitution,

8.

Petitioner's sentence of death was imposed 

pursuant to Section 16-72, Code of Laws of South Carolina 

which statute is upon its face and aa applied to petitioner 

under the circumstances of this case in violation of the 

Constitution of the United States, in that!

(a) Said statute requires imposition of a 

cruel, inhuman and unusual punishment in violation of the 

Eight and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Con­

stitution.

(b) Said statute denies petitioner the 

equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth 

Amendment to the United States Constitution.

9.

Petitioner has now exhausted all remedies 

before the Courts of the State of South Carolina.

10.

No previously application for the relief 

sought herein has been made to this Court or any Judge r, 

thereof.

-a-



Habeas Carpus, directed to Ellis C. MacDougall, Director 

of South Carolina State Board of Corrections, by whoa 

petitioner is detained and by whoa execution of petitioner's 

sentence of death is ordered to be carried out, issue for 

the purpose of inquiring into the cause of said imprisonment 

and restraint and of delivering hia therefrom pursuant to 

the statute in such cases made and provided.

WHEREFORE, petition** pray* that a Writ of

November 30, 1964. ________________________________
t. HENDERSON MOORE 
39 Spring Street 
Charleston, South Carolina

BENJAMIN L. COOK, JR.
43 Morris Street 
Charleston, South Carolina

MATTHEW J. PERRY 
1107% Washington Street 
Columbia, South Carolina

Attorneys for Petitioner.

8

-5-



pern

ooummih m n m m

w w m  memrn,

Pmtlti

>

)

)

)
st a t s or .s o u t h a m  l i ma and
ELLIS C. NttcODCCALL. director, ) 
South Csrslla* &tmtm sk»*.rd a£ 
Corrections, )

CIVIL ACTION 
NO.

JSttSpwMiMit*. }

1

NOTION PC'S L&AVB TO FILS. AMRMOK0 W I T M l  
FOR WRIT OF liAIBAS 03RPW8

,»*t it loner Louis M M M t , respectfully *.v«» 

the Court for lesvs to file th« «m c l >4 Attended Petit ia«* 
far W i t  of fishes# Carpus per asset to Title 31 U. S. C.
Section 5343.

'ley 13, IfPS.
M O M W  J. r̂iSKV 
1107% Washington Street 
Colwnhi*, Couth Caro i ».«*

F. W * ® a » Q «  Moose 
Spring Street

Cheriest®*, South Caroline

amjutrut l . a x * , j«.
43. Norris Street 
Charleston, South Caroline

Attorseye for .^titi otter

9



IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT ODUET
FOR THE SASTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

COLUMBIA DIVISION

LOUIS MOCKER,

Petitioner,

-vs-

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA and 
ELLIS C. MacDOUGALL, Director, 
South Caroline State Board of 
Correction*,

Respondenta.

CIVIL ACTION
NO.

AMENDED_PETITION.FOR WRIT OF HABEAS OORPUS

IT- THE HONORABLE ROBERT W. HEMPHILL, UNITED 

STATES DISTRICT JUDGE;

The amended petition of Louis Moorer reapect- 

fully shows to this Honorable Court;

l.

Petitioner ia now unlawfully restrained of his 

liberty at present in custody of Ellis C. MacDougall, 

Director of the South Carolina State Board of Corrections 

at the South Carolina State Penitentiary at 1515 Gist 

Street, Columbia, South Carolina, in violation of the 

Constitution of the United States at Aeerica, awaiting the 

Infliction of death sentence by electrocution against his 

will for the alleged crime of rape.

10



TIM facts in commotion with the aforesaid 

detention and pending infliction of thm dnnth eentence 

will be presented to this Court, including proceedings

originating out of the Court of General Sessions for 

Dorchester County in the State of South Carolina, the 

Court of Common Pleas for Richland County, South Carolina 

and all proceedings before the Supreme Court of the State 

of South Carolina and its decisions thereon.

3.

Upon the trial of petitioner in said Court of 

General Sessions for Dorchester County, State of South 

Carolina, petitioner mi convicted of the crime of rape 

which judgment of conviction was, upon appeal to the 

Supreme Court of the State of South Carolina, affirmed. 

State v. Louis Moorer, 129 S.E.(2d) 330. Thereafter, a 

petition was filed in the Court of Common Pleas for Rich­

land County, South Carolina for a Writ of Habeas Corpus 

which petition was denied. The Supreme Court of South 

Carolina affirmed the Order denying the Petition for Writ 

of Habeas Corpus. Louis Moorer v. State of South Carolina, 

®! *1•» 133 S.B.(2d) 713. Thereafter, a petition was filed 

in the Supreme Court of the United States for a Writ of 

Certiorari which petition was denied October 12, 1964.

U.S. ,13 L.Ed. 3d 63.

4 .

Petitioner complained and complains that he was 

not accorded a fair trial and begs leave to submit upon the

2.

-2 11



hearing heroin tit* record* in th# course of tit# proceeding* 

haret©fore bad in connection with tit# indictront and con­

viction and tbs appeal* tb#r#from wheraia and wh#r#fro« this 

Coart nay to# apprised of tit# cont«ntion* of petitioner and 

petitioner px*ym that aach records to# deemed to have been 

nad* a part of thia petition by reference. Petitioner 

further deairaa to pr#a#nt additional evidence In support 

of his contention that his conviction in th* Stat# Court 

violated th* Constitution of the United States.

S.

Petitioner's restraint and detention violate 

th* due process and equal protection clause* of th* Four­

teenth Anendnent to the Constitution of th* United State* 

in that he was indicted by a grand jury and convicted by a 

petit jury from which members of the Negro race, of which 

petitioner is a member, war# systematically and arbitrarily 

excluded or limited in number:

a) Negro*# constitute in excess of 40 par 

cent af the adult population of 

Dorchester County.

b) Negroes constitute in excess of 10 per 

cent of the registered voters in South 

Carolina.

c) Negros# constituted only 6.7% of the 

persons on grand juries in Dorchester 

County between 1950 and 1963.

d) On 4 of the 9 petit jury venires drawn in 

Dorchestar County between 1958 and 1963,

12



• ) On the § petit Jury v m i m  drawn in 

Dorchester County between 1*56 and 

1*62, only 2.1* of the peracme drawn 

wire Negro**, and no mare than 2 

Megroea were placed on any petit jury 
venire.

t) Between 1*48 and 1*62, no Negroee 

actually aat on petit jariea in Dor- 

cheater County.

g) The token mother of Negroee placed on 

petit jury veairee are conaiatently 

challenged or etricken, ao that Negroea 

are prevented fro* earvice on petit 

jttriea.

h) All jury c o m ! aaionera in Dor cheater 
County are whit*.

i) Prospective juror* are choaan fron 

voting regiatratlon liata which dealgnat* 
the race of each voter.

6 .

Petitioner’a raatraint and detention violate* the 
du* proceaa clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the 

Constitution of the united States in that he waa taken into 

Court, at tha coananceneat of the tern of Court in which he 

wee tried, end was subjactad to an arraignment proceeding on

m  Negroes war* om the pttit Jury

15



April 3, 1962 without an attorney and was not advised by the 

Court nor by any other official of the right to be represented by 

an attorney during said arraignment proceeding or of the 

right to consult with an attorney prior thereto. The arraign­

ment of April 2, 1962 was a critical stage of the proceedings 

in that it was a prerequisite to the validity of a waiver of 

defendant's rights under Section 17-408, Code of Laws of 

South Carolina for 1962, which allows a defendant to have a 

copy of the indictment for three daye before being brought 

to trial. Petitioner was tried on April 4, 1962, over 

objection of counsel, less than three days after being pre­

sented with a copy of the indictment. The Honorable John 

Gri. inball, Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit, who denied 

petitioner's petition for habeas corpus, erred in finding 

that petitioner had counsel at his arraignment of April 2,

1962.

7.

Petitioner’s restraint and detention violates the 

Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 

that petitioner was not given an accurate, unequivocal and 

complete record of all proceedings in the Court of General 

Sessions for Dorchester County preceding this conviction and 

sentence of death.

8.

Petitioner's restraint and detention violates 

the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the 

Constitution of the United States in that he was subjected 

to a preliminary hearing or some other pre-trial proceeding

14

-5-



without an attorney and without being advised of the right 

to have an attorney present or of the right to consult with 

an attorney prior to the commencement of said proceeding.

9.

Petitioner's restraining and detention violates 

the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the 

Constitution of the United States in that he was tried and 

convicted of a capital offense, to wit: rape, and was at

no time given a true copy of the whole indictment against 

him as is required by Section 17-408, Code of Laws of South 

Carolina for 1962.

10.

Petitioner's restraint and detention violates the 

due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the 

Constitution of the United States in that he was tried, 

convicted and sentenced to death for having allegedly 

violated Section 16-71, Code of Laws of South Carolina for 

1962 which statute is upon its face and as construed and 

applied to petitioner, vague, indefinite and uncertain.

11.

Petitioner has been deprived of due process of 

law and the equal protection of the laws in violation of the 

Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, in 

that he was convicted without evidence of every essential 

element of the crime, and in particular there was no evidence 

of penetration.

12.

Petitioner wse deprived of due process of law and 

the equal protection of the laws in violation of the

-6-



Fourteenth Amendment to the United State* Conatitution in that 

the trial court allowed several witnesses to testify in the 

presence of the jury that a voluntary statement had been taken 

from the defendant soon after his arrest. This testimony was 

highly prejudicial to defendant since it strongly suggested 

that defendant had voluntarily confessed, and the issues of 

admissibility of a confession must be decided before trial by 

the court and out o . the presence of the jury.

13.

Petitioner's sentence of death was imposed pursuant 

to Section 16-72, Code of Laws of South Carolina for 1963, 

which statute is upon its face and as applied to petitioner 

under the circumstances of this case, in violation of the 

Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, 

in that:

a) Said statute authorises imposition of a 

cruel, inhuman and unusual punishment in violation of the 

Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the 

United States.

b) Said statute denies petitioner equal protection 

of the law and due process of law under the Fourteenth Amend­

ment to the Constitution of the United States in that there 

has been an unequal application of said statute and in that 

there is and has been a long standing practice, policy and 

custom of sentencing Negro men to death for rape upon white 

momen while not inflicting that punishment upon any other

per son.

-7- 16



14.
The constitutional claim raiaad in Paragraph 9 

abova was raisad at petitioner's trial and passad upon adversely 

to petitioner by tha Supr ema Court of South Carolina, affirm­

ing the conviction. State v. Moore?. 241 S.C. 487, 129 S.E.

(2d) 330 (1963). The constitutional claims made in Paragraph 

5, 6, 7 and 8 war® raised on petitioner's petition for habeas 

corpus in the Fifth Judicial Circuit of South Carolina and 

decided adversely to petitioner by that Court and by the 

Supreme Court of South Carolina affirming the denial of habeas

corpus. Moorer v. State, S.C. ___  , 133 S.E.(2d) 713

(1964). The remaining constitutional claims herein set forth 

were decided adversely to petitioner in an Order of the South 

Carolina Supreme Court dated May 11, 1965.

15.

No previous application for the relief sought 

herein has been made to this Court or any judge thereof.

WHEREFORE, petitioner prays that a Writ of Habeas 

Corpus, directed to Ellis C. MscOougall, Director of South 

Carolina State Board of Corrections, by whom petitioner is 

detained and by whom execution of petitioner's sentence of 

death is ordered to be carried out, issue for the purpose 

of inquiring into the cause of said imprisonment and res­

traint and of delivering him therefrom pursuant to *>e statute 

in such cases made and provided.

May 12, 1965.
MATTHEW J . ‘PERRY 
1107% Washington Street 
Columbia, South Carolina

F. HENDERSON MOORE ^
39 Spring Street 
Charleston, South Carolina

-8-



BENJAMIN L. COOK, JR.
43 Morris Street 
Charleston, South Carolina

Attorneys for Petitioner

STATS OF SOUTH CAROLINA )
ss.

COUNTY OF RICHLAND )

PERSONALLY appeared before me Louis Moorer 

who, on oath, deposes and says- That he is the petitioner 

herein; that he has read the faregoing Amended Petition 

for writ of Habeas Corpus and knows the contents thereof, 

and that the sane ia true of his awn knowledge, except as to 

the matters therein stated to be alleged upon information 

and belief, and as to those matters he believes it to be 

true.

LOUIS MOORER

SWORN to Da fore a*s this 

day of .'say, 1965.

...... ....................... ..... . (SEAL)
Notary Public for South Carolina

18

-9-



‘U-.-V

F I LZ e nBHITED STATES COURT OF U m i l  *“ ^

t o r r m  fourth circuit MAY 1 31965
S o .  1 0 ,0 4 3  MAURICE S. DEAN

CLERK

Louis Mooiw,

varous
State of South Carolina and Bills C. 
HacDougall, Director, South Carolina 
State Board of Corrections,

Appellant,

Appellees.

Appeal fro® the United States District Court for the Eastern 
District of South Carolina, at Charleston.

The appellant has applied to me for a stay of execution 
of a sentence of death now scheduled to be executed tomorrow. 
May 14, 1963.

The appellant has filed a proper notice of appeal frcm 
an order entered in the United States District Court for the 
Eastern District of South Carolina on May 12, 1963, denying 
an amended petition for habeas corpus. The motion for stay 
is for the purpose of protecting the jurisdiction of the 

United States Court of Appeals during the pendency of the 
appeal.

The record on appeal discloses several proceedings in 
the state courts, in Which there are a number of asserted 

claims of denial of rights protected by the Constitution of 
tha United States. The amended petition for corpus in



r. r

the District Court and tha earlier petition in that Court 
sought relief upon those grounds. It further appears that 
the District Court has not considered the constitutional 
claims upon their merits. There has heea no evidentiary 
hearing in the District court and. so far as now appears In 

tha xeeord on appsal. no raviev in the District Court of the 

state court proceedings to consider whether or not in the 

state proceedings the federal claims have Dean fairly heard 
and determined.

On their face. X cannot say that the federal constitutional 
claims are frivolous or that the appeal is not without probable 
merit. Indeed, the District drudge certified, for the purpose 
of protecting the rights of the appellant, the existence of 
probable cause to appeal.

Xn these circumstances, execution of the sentence would 

effectively deny the right of appeal, and a stay of the 
execution is essential for the protection of the jurisdiction 
of the United States Court of Appeals to hear and determine 

the appellant's rights in the premises.
There is also before me a petition of the appellant for 

leave to proceed in forma pauperis, for the reasons stated 

above. X have determined to grant the petition for leave to 

proceed without prepayment of fees, to certify the existence 

of probable cause to appeal, and to order a stay of the 

execution pending the determination of the appeal is the

-  2 -

so



v. X.
United State® Court of Appeals fox the fourth Circuit.

It 28 n m p ,  therefore, that the appellant bo, and 

ho io hereby permitted to prosecute his appeal la this 
Court in the above entitled case in forma pauperis in 

accordance with Title 2d, V.S.C., g 1915, without the pro- 

payment of costs or the giving of security therefor*
FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of this Court file the 

preliminary record on appeal and docket the appeal as of 
May 13, 1965.

FOWHEft ORDERED, upon consideration of the petition 
and pursuant to the authority under Title 23, U.S.C., f 
2251, that the execution of the sentence of death imposed 
by the Court of General Sessions of Dorchester County, State 
of South Carolina, be, and the same is hereby, stayed pending 

the termination of the appeal herein or the further order of 
tha Court.

Clement 7. Haynsworth, Jr.
Chief Judge, Pourth Circuit

May 13, 1965

A. true copy,
T e s t e :

JlQUuUuu^  ̂
U. C^urt of Appeals for the 

Fourth Circuit
^ Clerk,

- J -

21



versus

f ■
State of South Carolina 

| and Ellis C. MacDougall,
j.V; Director, South Carolina 
I State Board of Corrections,
■i- ' ' ' ■„ . ■'t ■

JUN gs 1965

MAURICE S. DEAN 
CUKK
Appellees.

; ;;
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern 
District of South Carolina, at Charleston. Robert W. Hemphill, 
District Judge. j

■ '• . ' i' - . ■ ' • : • . I

Submitted
(Beeided ^  3 1965.- Decided June 23, 1965)

• ' . i •
Before HAYNSWORTH, Chief Judge, and SOBELOPF and J. SPENCER 
BELL, Circuit Judges.

Matthew J. Perry, F. Henderson Moore and Benjamin L. Cook, 
Jr., on brief for Appellant, -.Daniel:'Ri McL&od* Att6rneyf)~.. 
General of South Carolina, counsbl fbr . Appellee.-,



\aigiJ

PER CURIAMJ

At issue before us on this appeal, which by agreement of the 
parties has been submitted on brief, is the correctness of the 
district judge's action on May 12, 1965, in dismissing an amended 
petition for a writ of habeas corpus filed by Louis Moorer, a 
Negro male who is currently awaiting death by electrocution pur­

suant to a sentence imposed upon him by the Court of General 
Sessions for Dorchester County, South Carolina, after his con­
viction for rape on April 4, 1962. Moorer's conviction was 
affirmed on appeal, State v. Moorer, 241 S.C. 487, 129 S.E.2d 
330 (1963), and subsequently South Carolina's highest court 
upheld the denial of a writ of habeas corpus to him by the state 
court to which his petition had been addressed. Moorer v. State,
244 S.C. 102, 135 S.E.2d 713, cert, denied, 379 U.S. 860 (1964).

Although it alleged several nonfrivolous deprivations of 
his constitutional rights, Moorer's habeas corpus petition was 
dismissed without either an evidential hearing or a consideration 

of the record and transcripts of the state court proceedings. In 

so doing, we think the district judge was in error.
It appears to us from the record that on .all the constitutional 

claims he has asserted, the petitioner has exhausted his available 

state remedies, and that consideration and review of them by a 
federal tribunal is now •appjepriat®. Despite the fact that this 
petitioner has made several journeys through the South Carolina 
judicial system and presumably has had a full and fair day in 
court on each occasion, we emphasize that in situations like the 
present one, it is the responsibility of the federal courts to 

make the final resolution of federal. g?r>PwltUtlgnaj lfiflUfiS.*
-2-

2.3



State courts, no less than federal courts, have a duty to respect 
and diligently give effect to the safeguards of personal liberty 
written into the United States Constitution; but where a citizen 
charges that his fundamental rights have been infringed, the federal 
courts have an obligation to review independently the state court 
proceedings to determine whether the findings of fact are fairly 

-suggested by evidence of record and the conclusions of law are 
correct. Townsend v. Sain, 372 U.S. 293 (1963).

The judgment of the court below dismissing the habeas corpus 
application is vacated, and the case is remanded in order that the 
district court may hold a plenary hearing in due course on factual 
issues raised in the petition and undertake an independent review 
of the state court legal conclusions on Constitutional points.
The district court will of course desire to enter an order staying 
Moorer's execution until all issues pertaining to the abridgment 
of his Constitutional rights have been finally resolved.

Vacated and remanded with instructions.

-3-



IN THE DISTRICT COURT OP THE UNITED STATES

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA
COLUMBIA DIVISION '

CIVIL ACTION NOy AC-1583
LOUIS MQORERijl

Petitioner/
)

vs. )
)

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA and ELLIS Cjjj ) 
. MacDOUGALL/j Director’/ South Carolina )
State Board of Corrections, )

)
Respondents. )

f i l e d
JUt. 6

HELIN BAEEUUND
: v...

O R D E R

In accordance with the PER CURIAM decision of the 

Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, vacating the decision of 

this Court, and directing that "a plenary hearing" be held 

“on factual issues raised in the petition" and that 

"independent review of the state court legal conclusions on 
Constitutional points" be had,

IT IS ORDERED, upon this direction, and pursuant 
to the authority given this Court under Title 28 U.S.C. § 2251, 
that the execution of the sentence of death imposed by the Court 
of General Sessions of Dorchester County, South Carolina^ be, 
and the same is hereby stayed pending the termination of further 

consideration by this Court, or the further Order of this Court.

.AND IT IS SO ORDERED;.1

Columbia/ South Carolina 

July 6/1965.

ROBERT WJij HEMPHILL 
United States District Judge

A TRUE COPY, ATTES't.

or n.». Disnuo* oovrw
w.Afi* 0T8T. 04EOU10

25

f



»

Xar x b s  d is tr i ct c o o e t o f  Fas o r x s o  s ta t e s

*0* SHE EASTERN DISTRICT OF SOCHI O W W
CaZXMBIA DIVISION

Civil. ACTIOS NO. AC-1383 f i l e d

£00X8 HOOKER,

Petitioner, )
)
)
>

AUG 4 1965

-HELEN BREELAND
cd .c.u.s,e.d.&c.

>
j gM^TRIAL ORDER

STATS OF scans CAROLINA and ELLIS C. ) 
KacEOUGALL, Director. South Carolina ) 
State Board of Correction*, )>

)
)Respondent*.

F o m e n t  to and in accordance with the direction in
the opinion of the United state* Circuit Court of Appeal* for 
the Fourth United State# Circuit, dated dun* 23, 1965, thi* Court 
proceed* to determine from a rehearing and « reconsideration of the 
record and the transcript*, the various issues raised in the —  

petition of Hay 12, 1963, in the above styled matter. Hoorer 
having charged that his constitutional rights have bean infringed, 
this Court ha* an obligation to review independently the State 

Court proceedings to determine whether the findings of fact are 
fairly supported by evidence of record and the conclusions of lav 
ar* correct, a* discussed in Townsend v. Sain. 372 0.8. 293 (1963).

States District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina, 
Columbia Division, on July 14, 1963. Counsel were asked if there 

was any objection to the exclusion of the press, if the press 

appeared, and counsel assured the Court that nor* progress at pre­
trial could be expected in the absence of the press. Fortunately, 
the problem did not arise.

Pre-trial conference was had in Chambers of the united

26



r; Paragraph five of the amended petition alleges violation 
of the du* process and equal protection c U n u t ,  Noorer claiming 

W o  indictment by Grand Jury and his ooavictioe^, by in
«hich mesfeers of the Begro xoeo, of n M d t  ho is a member, m o o  
systematically and arbitrarily excluded or limited in number.
Shis issue w h s  presented to tho South Carolina Supreme Court aftor 
being presented to South Carolina Circuit dodge Grlafeall in a 

corpus proceeding twhich subsequently was given a rehearing by 
Jttdge GrimballJ but was not presented at the original trial. 

Petitioner, in this Court, seeks to base his prayer for relief upon 
statistical calculations, which do not appear appropo to thia 

particular case. The Court presently is of tho opinion that there 
was sufficient evidence developed and aired to sake a determination 
in accordance with the mandate of Townsend v. Sain. supra. Counsel 

for petitioner will be afforded an opportunity to argue the alleged 
inadequacy of this evidence, if he feels so advised, to protect 
petitioner's rights.

Paragraph six of the petition e— yTwlps of tho arraignment 
of defendant in tho absence of counsel, it appears from the record 
of trial that defendant was rearraigned in tho presence of counsel 
and it further appears that in the habeas corpus basing before 

South Carolina Fifth Circuit Judge John Grlstball that witnesses 
were heard and that a full evidentiary hearing was had on this 

issue. Zt searns patent that no further evidence is necessary for 
a constitutional consideration of this issue. Accordingly, no 

evidence thereabout will be necessary in the hearing before »*»«e 
Court. Petitioner will, of course, have the right to present 
argument to the Court as to why more evidence is necessary, if 
he is so advised.

- a -
27



Paragraph saves alleges that ^petitioner was not given 
an accurate, unequivocal and complete record of proceedings 

in the Court of General Sessions . . .  preceding this conviction 
and sentence of death." Counsel for petitioner has «r.n/-yi1r* that 
there is no need for an evidentiary hearing on this issue. 
Accordingly, there will be none.

She thurst of paragraph eight was that the Sheriff had 

that petitioner had made a "statement” or "confession" 
at a preliminary hearing. Share was no request for an evidentiary 
hearing on this issue; determination can be made from the record.

Paragraph nine alleges that petitioner was never given a 
true copy of the whole indictment against him as required by j 17-408, 

8. C. Code, 1862. There was and is no question but that petitioner 

was not given a copy of the indictment at the time of his arraign­

ment. Counsel will have the opportunity to argue the legal impact 
of this denial.

She issue raised in paragraph tea, which alleges that 
S 16-71, 8. C. Code, 1962, (the statute which defines rape), is 
upon its face and as construed and applied to petitioner, vague, 
indefinite and uncertain. Counsel agreed that no evidentiary 
hearing is necessary thereabout and that the matter would be 
presented to the Court by way of legal argument.,

As to paragraph eleven of the May 12 petition, counsel 
agreed at the hearing that no evidentiary hearing was necessary 

but that the sufficiency of the evidence to sustain the conviction 
would be fully explored by counsel in legal argument at the bearing 

hereinafter discussed. Counsel are free to make reference to any 
and all transcripts and shall be prepared to cite to the Court 
relevant portions and pages thereof.

•* 3 «*
28



Counsel agreed that the natters set forth in paragraph 

tveive of the petition were first raised is this petition. MO 

evidentiary hearing was requested, after discussion, and the issue 
to be discussed and argued before the Court is whether or not the 
alleged confession was voluntary, which includes the question of 
whether the jury should have been excused during the m  s e ssion, 

thereabout in the Court of General Sessions for Dorchester County 
on trial of the cause.

Paragraph thirteen alleges that f 16-72, S. C. Code, 1962, 
(which prescribes the death penalty for conviction of rape) upon 

its face and applied to petitioner under the drcuastanoee here 
violates the fourteenth Amendment in that*

a) it imposes a cruel and unusual punishment* and
b) there has been unequal application of this 
statute and a long standing practice, policy, and 
custom of “sentencing Negro men to death for rape 
upon white women while not inflicting this punish­
ment upon any other person."

fart “a" clearly presents a natter of law for the Court and counsel 
agreed that no evidentiary hearing was necessary or warranted.

As to subparagraph “b*, this Court must determine, and 
counsel are directed to advise, as to (1) the constitutional 
dimunition claimed; (2) the basis or competency of any statistical 
evidence sought to be introduced; (3) whether the parties can 
stipulate satisfactorily to the end that the Court can rule on 

this contention as a matter of law; and (4) whether the "logical 
extreme* of the "evidence" possible in this case will have a 
salutory effect on the proper administration of justice. Of 
course, the question of unconstitutional application, if such 
exists, of the statute with reference to RAPE may be fully argued 
in this hearing.



nothing herein shall limit the right of petitioner to . 
present fall argument on any of the issues, or to •eke a notion 
that the plenary hearing hereinafter directed be snore ■exhaustive"

SJ.?
than the foregoing euggeats.

Counsel agreed that it would not be necessary for petitioner 
to be present at the bearing, that hie absence therefrom would in 
no wise deny him any constitutional right as neither counsel nor 

the Court find it necessary to take his testimony on eny issue 
considered*

Counsel will confer in advance of hearing to ascertain 
if stipulations can be agreed upon and will advise the Court 
thereabout in the briefs mentioned below*

A  plenary hearing will be held la the courtroom of the 
United States District Court at Columbia, South Carolina, at 
10*00 A. K., August 18, 1965, and continue thereafter until 
consansaated* five days in advance of said bearing, counsel trill 
present the Court with a brief expressing fully upon the legal 
and factual issues set by this Order and by agreement, and shall 
present agreed stipulations. In said brief shall be noted all 
appearances expected at the hearing and a statement as to the 
approximate time desired for presentation and argument.

Other hearings will be had upon justification shown. 
a d d  It IS SO ORDERED.

ROBERT W. -iiEMFEXIiI<

~ ~  ROBERT W . BEMJPHHJ,...................
United states District judge

ColumbiSf South Carolina

A TRUE CUPi. m 'ibbi.

or O. 8. niSTBIOT ĈTTST

29

\



IN THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

COLUMBIA DIVISION

LOUIS MQOREft,
j Petitioner,

-v*-
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA and ELLIS C. tecDOUGALL, Director, South Carolina State Board of Correction*,

Respondent*.

MOTION

Petitioner, Loui* Atoorer, by hi* attorney*, respectfully 
moves the Court for leave to withdraw Petitioner** Exhibit 1 for 
the purpose of making photostatic copies thereof.

At the hearing on the amended petition for writ of habeas 
corpus held on August IS, 1965, petitioner presented a cardboard 
carton containing 355 forms, or schedules, entitled •Capital 
Punishment Survey,* each schedule consisting of 28 printed pages 
and containing information gathered by researchers on cases re­
sulting in conviction of rape in several South Carolina counties. 
The Court ordered that the carton be sealed and marked Petitioner's 
Exhibit 1, with permission to withdraw the exhibit or make photo­
static copies to be granted only upon submission of a motion show­
ing good cause.

Petitioner requires the schedules comprising Petitioner's

If

)
}
)
) CIVIL ACTION No.

)
)
)

30



i f

Exhibit Mo. 1, or a photoatatic copy thereof, to that’scientific 
analysis and computation can ba conducted on the basis of the in­
formation contained in the schedules. Such analysis and computa­
tion are necessary for purposes of scientific research and for 
further use of the materials in this litigation.

The gathering of data contained in Exhibit No. 1 was conduct­
ed at great expense,over a period of savaral months,and with 
considerable care end preparation. Petitioner does not have a 
copy of the schedules comprising Exhibit No. 1. The gathering of 
data had not been completed in time for duplication of the sched­
ules by August 18, 1965.

if this motion is granted, counsel for petitioner will 
supervise the process of duplication, insure that the exhibit 
is in no way altered, and promptly return the exhibit to the Court.

Petitioner will pay the cost of copying the materials.

jMTHE# y. PEAKY y  
lljO?̂  Washington Street Columbia, South Carolina

F. HENDERSON MOORE 39 Spring Street Charleston, South Carolina

BENJAMIN t. COOK, JR.42 Morris Street 
Charleston, South Carolina

JACK GREENBERG FRANK HcFFAON 
10 Columbus Circle Suite 2030New York, N. Y. 10019

Attorneys for Petitioner

2

I-



ts THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE SUITED STATES 

FQK THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH C&SOIdHS 

COLUKB2A DIVXSXOS

CtVXD ACTIOS HO. AC-1583 V
LOUIS MOOSES,

' \  %

Petitioner,

vs.

STATE OF SOUTH ORHQLISA and ELLIS C. 
KacDOUG&LL, D irector, South Carolina 
S tate Board of C orrection s,

Respondents.

Before the United States D is t r ic t  Court f o r  th e  D is t r ic t  o f  South 
Carolina, a t  Columbia, South C arolina. Robert W. Hemphill 
D is t r ic t  Judge.

Heard August 13, 1965 Decided January 3, 1966

Matthew J . Perry, Esquire, Columbia, S . C ., and Frank H. Hefrron, 
iisquire, o f  Hew York C ity , fo r  p e t it io n e r .  Honorable Daniel R, 
McLeod, Attorney General o f  South C arolina, Columbia, S. C .,
Edward B. Latimer, Esquire, A ssistant Attorney General, Columbia,
S. C ., E. H. Brandon, Esquire, A ssistant Attorney General, Columbia,. 
S. C ., and Julian  S . N olle , S o l ic it o r ,  F irs t  C ir cu it , Orangeburg,

32



Pursuant to d ir e c t io n  of tb s  United States Court of Appeals 

fox the fourth Judicial C ir c u it 1  this Court undertook further proceed­

ings herein. This2 p resen ts  to this Court again questions which have 

been previously d ecid ed  o r  new q u e stio n s  obviously pursued for delay. 

As noted by United S ta tes  C ir c u it  Judge3  Jean S. Breitenatein in a 

recent presentation t o  a Seminar o f  United States Judges at Denver. 

Colorado*

A fte r  in ca rce ra t io n  th e  p r iso n e r  s t a r t s  t o  b rood  
o v e r  every th in g  th a t has happened between a r re s t  and 
sen ten ce . B is  d is s a t i s fa c t i o n  i s  encouraged by th e  
ja i l -h o u s e  law yers who are t o  be found in  c o s t  penal 
in s t i t u t io n s .  Soon he i s  bombarding th e  ju dge w ith  
req u ests  f o r  r e l i e f  which range from o b je c t io n s  on 
th e  s e v e r ity  o f  the sentence t o  cla im s th a t th e  
p roceed in gs  are i l l e g a l  f o r  v io la t io n  o f  b a s ic  
c o n s t itu t io n a l  r ig h t s .

In  tlie  p a st  f i f t e e n  years th e  a p p lica t io n s  t o  th e  
fe d e r a l  c o u r ts  f o r  p o s t  c o n v ic t io n  r e l i e f  have s te a d ily  
in cre a se d . Perhaps t h is  r e s u lt s  from an in cre a s in g  
awareness o f ,  and emphasis on , the c i v i l  r ig h ts  o f  the 
in d iv id u a l . C e rta in ly  th e  d e c is io n s  o f  th e  Supreme 
Court ind icate- a growing concern  over the c o n s t itu t io n a l  
r ig h t s  o f  accused  person s and th is  con cern  has mani­
fe s te d  i t s e l f  in  more com prehensive treatm ent o f  con ­
s t i t u t io n a l  p r o v is io n s  designed  t o  p r o t e c t  such p erson s .

The amended p e t i t i o n 4 seeking r e l i e f  h ere in  was f i l e d  May 12, 

1355, and reads as fo llo w s*

The  amended p e t i t i o n  o f  L ou is Moorer r e s p e c t fu l ly  
shows t o  t l i is  H onorable Court*

1.
P e t it io n e r  i s  now u n law fu lly  re s tra in e d  o f  h is  

l ib e r t y  a t  p resen t in  cu stod y  o f  E l l i s  C . K acD ougall,
D ire c to r  o f  th e  South C aro lin a  S ta te  Board o f  
C o rre ctio n s  a t th e  South C aro lin a  S ta te  P e n ite n tia ry  
a t  1515 G ist  S tr e e t , Columbia, South C a ro lin a , in  
v io la t io n  o f  the C o n stitu tio n  o f  the United S ta tes  o f  
Am erica, aw aiting the i n f l i c t i o n  o f  death sen ten ce  by 
e le c t r o c u t io n  a ga in st h is  w i l l  f o r  th e  a lle g e d  crim e 
o f  ra p e .

1  See P oorer v. Str. to  o f  Couth C a ro lin a , c t  a l .  347 F .2d  502.
2 see  Moorer v .  State  o f  South Car o l in a , c t  a l ,  239 F.Supp. ISO* 

Moorer v .  S ta te  o f  Couth C a ro lin a , e-t a l ,  240 F.Supp. 529; and 
p o o re r  v .  S ta te  o f  Couth Car o l in a , efc a l ,  240 F.Supp. 531 (th e  
la s t  o f  which chronologuea th e  h is to r y  o f  t h is  p o s t -c o n v ic t io n  
d e la y  p a t te r n ) .

3 Tenth C ir c u it .  33
4  F ile d  Hay 12, 1955.



2.
The fa c t s  in  co n n ection  w ith  th e  a fo r e s a id  

d e te n tio n  and pending i n f l i c t i o n  o f  th e  death, 
sen ten ce  w i l l  he p resen ted  to  t h i s  C ou rt, in ­
c lu d in g  p roceed in gs  o r ig in a t in g , ou t o f  th e  Court 
o f  G eneral S ess ion s  f o r  D orch ester Comity in  th e  
S ta te  o f  South C a ro lin a , th e  Court o f  Common Flc-as 
f o r  R ichland County, South C a ro lin a  and a l l  p roceed ­
in g s  b e fo r e  th e  Supreme C ourt o f  th e  S ta te  o f  South 
C aro lin a  and i t s  d e c is io n s  th ereon ,

3. /
• /

Upon th e  t id a l  o f  p e t it io n e r  in  s a id  C ourt o f  
G eneral S e ss io n s  f o r  D orch ester County, S ta te  o f  
South C a ro lin a , p e t i t io n e r  was co n v ic te d  o f  th e  
crim e o f  rape which judgment o f  c o n v ic t io n  was, 
upon appeal t o  th e  Su.prer.ie Court o f  th e  S ta te  o f  
South C a ro lin a , a ff ir m e d . ' S ta te  v .  lo r d s  P oorer ,
129 S .E .(2d) 330 . T h e re a fte r , a p e t i t i o n  was f i l e d  

•in th e  Court o f  Coarsen f le a s  f o r  R ichland County, 
South C aro lin a  f o r  a W rit o f  Habeas Corpus which 
p e t i t i o n  was d e n ie d . The Supreme Court o f  South 
C aro lin a  a ffirm ed  th e  Order denying th e  P e t it io n  
f o r  W rit o f  Habeas C orpus, f o u ls  P oorer v .  S tate  
o f  South f c o h i u .  c t  n T .. 135 S .E .(2d) 713. There­
a f t e r ,  a p e t i t i o n  was f i l e d  in  th e  Supreme Court of 
th e  U nited s ta t e s  f o r  a W rit o f  C e r t io r a r i  which 
p e t i t i o n  was denied  O ctober 12, 1964. G.S . . 
13 L.Ed. 2d 63 .

4 .

P e t it io n e r  com plained and com plains th a t he was 
n o t accorded  a f a i r  t r i a l  and begs  lea ve  t o  submit 
upon th e  hearing h ere in  th e  re co rd s  in  th e  cou rse  
o f  th e  p roceed in gs  h e r e to fo r e  had in  con n ection  
w ith  th e  ind ictm en t and c o n v ic t io n  and th e  appeals 
th erefrom  wherein and wherefrom t h is  Court may be 
a p p rised  o f  th e  co n te n tio n s  o f  p e t it io n e r  and 
p e t i t io n e r  p reys  th a t such re co rd s  b e  deemed t o  have 
been  made a p a r t  o f  t h is  p e t i t i o n  b y  r e fe r e n c e . 
P e t it io n e r  fu r th e r  d e s ir e s  t o  p resen t a d d it io n a l 
ev iden ce  in  support o f  M s  co n te n tio n  th a t h is  
c o n v ic t io n  in  th e  S ta te  C ourt v io la te d  th e  C on stitu ­
t io n  o f  th e  U nited S ta te s .

5 .

P e t i t io n e r 's  r e s t r a in t  and d e te n tio n  v i o la t e  th e
due p rocess  and  eq u a l p r o t e c t io n  c la u s e s  o f  th e  
Fourteenth fctaondffient t o  the  C o n stitu tio n  o f  th e  
United S ta tes  in  th a t he was in d ic te d  by a  grand 
ju ry  and co n v ic te d  by a p e t i t  ju r y  from which 
members o f  th e  negro ra ce , o f  which p e t it io n e r  i s  
a member, were sy s te m a tica lly  and a r b i t r a r i ly  ex­
clu ded  o r  l im ite d  in  cumber*

a ) Hegroes c o n s t itu te  in  e x ce ss  o f  40 p er  
c e n t  o f  th e  a d u lt p op u la tion  o f  D orchester 
County.  34

2 -



b) Hegroes c o n s t it u t e  in excess of 20 per 
ce n t  o f  th e  r e g is te r e d  voter® l a  South 
C a ro lin a .

c )  n egroes  c o n s t itu te d  o n ly  6.755 o f  th e  
p erson s on grand ju r ie s  in  Dorchester 
County between 1953 and 1962.

dj On 4  of th e  9 p e t i t  ju r y  venires drawn in
D orch ester County between 1958 and 1962, 
so K egrocs w ere on th e  p e t i t  jury venire.

e )  On th e  9 p e t i t  ju r y  v e n ire s  drawn in
D orch ester County between 1953 and 
1962, o n ly  2.155 o f  th e  p erson s  drawn 
w ere K cgroes, and no box® than 2 
D egrees were p la ce d  on any p e t i t  ju r y  
v e n ir e .

£ ) Between 1943 and 1932, no Segxoes 
a c t u a lly  sa t  cn  p e t i t  ju r ie s  in  Dor­
c h e s te r  County.

g) *Ehe token  masher o f  H egroes p la ce d  on 
petit jury v e n ire s  are c o n s is t e n t ly  
challenged o r  stricken, so that Scgroea 
a re  prevented fresa s e r v ic e  on  petit 
ju r ie s .

h ) A i l  ju r y  con ssisa loaers in  D orch ester 
County a re  w h ite .

1 ) P ro sp e c tiv e  ju r o r s  a re  chosen  from
voting registration lists which d esig n a te  
th e  race of each voter.

S.

P e t i t io n e r ’ s  restraint and d e te n tio n  v io la t e s  th e  due 
p ro ce ss  clause of th e  Fourteenth Arsentteenfc t o  th e  
C o n stitu tio n  of th e  United States in  th a t  he was taken 
in t o  C ourt, a t  the conmcr.cosicat o f  th e  te n s  o f  Court 
in  w hich ho was tried, and was subjected t o  an a rra ig n *  
sent proceeding on April 2, IS62 w ith ou t an A ttorney  
and was n ot advised by th e  Court nor b y  any o th e r  
o f f i c i a l  o f  the right to be- represented by  an a tto rn e y  
during s a id  arraignment proceeding o r  o f  th e  r ig h t  t o  
co n s u lt  w ith  an attorney prior th e re to .. She arraignm ent 
o f  A p r il  2 , 1932 was a  critical stage o f  th e  p roceed in gs  
in  th a t  i t  was a prerequisite t o  th e  v a l i d i t y  o f  a w a iver 
o f  defendant*a rights under faction 17-4-38, Coda o f  lew s 
o f  South Carolina for 1962,. which a llo w s  a defendant t o  
have a cop y  o f  the indictment f o r  th re e  days b e fo r e  b e in g  
brou gh t t o  t r i a l .  Petitioner was t r ie d  on A p r il  4 , ISS2, 
o v e r  o b je c t io n  o f  co u n se l, l o s s  than th ro e  days a f t e r  being 
p resen ted  w ith  a copy  o f  th e  ia d lc t a e a t «  She H onorable 
John c r install. Judge o f  th e  Fifth J u d ic ia l  C ir c u it ,  who 
den ied  petitioner’s petition f o r  habeas corpus,, e rre d  in 
f in d in g  th a t petitioner tea co u n se l a t  his arraignm ent 
o f  A p r il  2 , 1552.. 35



Petitioner's restraint and detention violate* 
the Podrtdentli .feSnaiteiife ̂tS tfee Waited States 
Constitution in .t t ia t  p e t i t io n e r  was not given an 
accurate, traebuivSeal arid msfjiete rmooid  of all 
proceedings in  the Court .of G eneral Sessions for 
Eorchoster County preceding tfids conviction and 
sentence of death.

a.
P e t i t i o n e r 's  r e s t r a in t  and d e te n tio n  v i o l a t e !

th e  due p ro ce ss  c la u se  o f  th e  Fourteenth amendment 
t o  th e  C o n st itu t io n  o f  th e  United S ta te s  in th a t 
h e  was su b je c te d  t o  a p re lim in ary  h earin g  o r  boss® 
o th e r  p r e - t r i a l  proceeding w ith ou t an a ttorn ey  and 
w ith ou t b e in g  adv ised  off th e  rjtghfc ttf have ait..,, 
a tto rn e y  p resen t o r  o f  th e  r ig h t  Jgfinsujt w ith  an 
a tto rn e y  p r io r  t o  th e  ccsasenceaiisrlfe ■&£ s a id  $±88§$i!iM§

9.
P e t i t i o n e r 's  r e s tr a in in g  and d e te n tio n  v io la t e s  

th e  duo p ro c e s s  d a n c e  o f  th e  Fourteenth Miettfb-fertt 
t o  tli© C o n stitu tio n  o£  th e  United s ta t e s  in  that he 
was t r ie d  and co n v ic te d  o f  n c a p it a l  o f fe n s e ; t o  
w it*  ra p e , and was a t no i r r ib . boj>y, b£
th e  w hole in d i c t  .v i t  s g i i r ^ t  him 1 5  i s  req u ired  bySection 17-4CQ, cdai 8'i b£ s8liS cafaiini fEt1962.

10.
P e t i t i o n e r 's  r e s t r a in t  and d e te n tio n  <b io ia t| S j th e  

due p ro ce ss  c la u s e  o f  th e  F o u r te e n ^  J a ^ ^ § j| iL  fcS 
th e  C o n st itu t io n  o f  the  United StatSiS. iri,|fiS| l i f  ¥ l i  
t r i e d ,  c o n v ic te d  and sentenced  tb  < e a t»  £ d f having 
a l le g e d ly  v io la te d  S e c tio n  15-71 , Coda Of haws.Of 
South C aro lin a  f o r  1962 w hich c ta tu te  ip upon i t s  
fa c e  end as con stru ed  and a p p lie d  fb  p E titib r ib t; 
vague; iH d b fin itS  fend M a s fft i i i i ;

f 1i t :

§SB| i8 fe ll m ,: 
eSgcfitlit.iilir

thip EoSviSfeii IJiSjSufe ̂ i&SSfibu ..
.._,.8f ei§ SffeSj iaS il ilmSlii?MS IIS Ivi&glteS of fltiiSsiMtsSii:

1 0 12:
. P e t it io n e r  tun® d e p r iv e d  Off bus p ro ce ss  o f  law .and 

th e  equal p r o te c t io n  o f  the le.ro in  v io la t io n  o f  the 
Fourteenth  do.'oo d t o  th o  United S ta tes  C o n stitu tio n  
in  th a t  th e  t S I a l  c o u r t  .S s f& ^ I^ w ifr ib g sis  tb
t e s t i f y  in  thS prbSsnbb 8 f  tlie  ju ry  th a t  h bbtriiitsr^



statem ent had fceea taken from  th e  defendant 
soon a f t e r  h is  a r r e s t .  T h is  testim ony was- 
h ig h ly  p r e ju d ic ia l  t o  d efen dan t s in ce  i t  
s t r o n g ly  suggested  th a t defendant had v o lu n ta r ily  
co n fe s se d , and t e e  Issu e s  o f  a d m is s ib i l i t y  o f  a 
c o n fe s s io n  m ist ba  d ecid ed  b e fo r e  t r i a l  b y  th e  
co u r t  and. o u t  o f  th e  p resen ce  o f  th e  ju r y .

13.

P e t it io n e r ’ s- sentence of death was imposed 
pursuant to Section 1 6 -72 , Code o f  law s o f  South 
C aro lin a  f o r  1062, which statute i s  upon i t s  fa c e  
and as applied to petitioner under th e  circu m stan ces 
o f  t l i i s  ca s e , in violation of the Fourteenth  amend­
ment t o  th e  Constitution of the B aited  S ta te s , in  
th at*

a ) Said statute authorizes im p o s itio n  o f  a 
cruel, inhuman and unusual punishment in  
violation ox  the Eighth and Fourteenth 
Amendments t o  th e  C o n st itu t io n  o f  th e  
United States.

b )  Said  s ta tu te  denies p e t i t io n e r  equal
protection of the law and due p ro ce ss  o f  
law under the Fourteenth Amendment t o  th e  
Constitution of the United S ta te s  in  th a t 
there has been an unequal a p p lic a t io n  o f  
sa id  statute and in that th e re  i s  and has 
been a long standing p r a c t i c e ,  p o l i c y  and 
custom of sentencing ilegro men t o  death  f o r  
rap© upon which women while n ot i n f l i c t i n g  
th a t  punishment upon any o th e r  p erson .

14.

Hie constitutional claim raised in  Paragraph 9 above was 
ra ise d  a t petitioner's trial and passed upon a d v e rse ly  t o  
p e t i t io n e r  by tea supremo Court o f  South C a ro lin a , a ff ir m ­
in g  th e  conviction. Ct-.ta v. i-sorer. 241 S .C . 467, 129 
S. E. (2d) 330 (1963). 2ho c o n s t it u t io n a l  cla im s made in
Paragraph 5, 6, 7 end 8 ware raised on p e t i t i o n e r ’ s  p e t it io n  
f o r  habeas corpus in the Fifth J u d ic ia l  C ir c u it  o f  South 
C aro lin a  and decided adversely t o  p e t i t io n e r  by th a t  Court 
and b y  th e  Supreme Court o f  Couth C arolin a  a ff in n in g  th e
d e n ia l  o f  habeas corpus, bgcrer v .  s t a t e .  s.c ._____ ,
135 S.E.(2i) 713 {1904). *„ie rem aining c o n s t itu t io n a l  
claims heroin set forth were d ecid ed  a d v e rse ly  t o  p e t i t io n e r  
in  an Order o f  th e  Couth Carolina Supreme C ourt dated  Kay I I ,  
1355.

15.

S o p re v io u s  a p p lic a t io n  f o r  th a  r e l i e f  sought h erein bas 
been made t o  t i l l s  Court c r  any ju d ge  th e r e o f .

KBESBFOE2, petitioner prays t e a t  a W rit o f  Habeas Corpus, 
d ir e c te d  t o  Ellis C. K acE ougall, b i r e c t o r  o f  South C aro lin a

37

5



S ta te  Board o f  C o rr e c t io n s , b y  wham  p e t i t i o n e r  i s  
d eta in ed  and by whom e x e cu tio n  o f  p e t i t i o n e r 's  
sen ten ce  o f  death i s  ord ered  t o  be ca r r ie d  o u t , 
is s u e  f o r  th e  purpose o f  in q u ir in g  into the cause 
o f  s a id  im prisonm ent and re s tra in t , and of d e liv e r in g  
him  therefrom  pursuant t o  th e  s ta t u t e  in such ca se s  
saade and p ro v id e d .

On May 12, 1SS5, t h i s  C ourt issu e d  i t s  Order*

By p e t i t i o n  o f  Kay 11, 1SS5, p e t i t i o n e r  seeks 
s ta y  o f  e x e cu tio n  and fu r th e r  d e la y  o f  th e  p ro ce sse s  
o f  th e  C ourts o f  o r ig in a l  and a p p e lla te  ju r is d i c t io n s ,  
t o  w it , th e  C ourts o f  th e  sov ere ig n  S ta te  o f  South 
C a ro lin a . P rev iou s o rd e rs  o f  t h is  C ourt d e t a i l  n ot 
o n ly  th e  in d u lgen ce  o f  t h i s  C ourt t o  p e t i t io n e r  upon 
M s. p le a  o f  r ig h t  t o  a d ju d ic a t io n  o f  th e  v a r io u s  issue®  
p u rp o rte d ly  p re d ica te d  upon a d e n ia l o f  th e  r ig h t s  o f  
p e t i t io n e r  in  co n n e ctio n  w ith  h is  t r i a l ,  judgment and 
sen ten ce  f o r  th e  crim e o f  B spe.

The Supreme C ourt o f  South C a ro lin a , having under 
i t s  a u th o r ity  th e  e x e cu tio n  o f  p e t i t io n e r ,  and having 
heard, on Hay IB, 1955, a m otion f o r  s ta y  o f  ex ecu tion  
ponding the a p p lic a t io n  o f  p e t i t io n e r  f o r  a W rit o f  
Habeas Corpus t o  th e  Court o f  Common P lea 3 , R ichland 
County, South C a ro lin a , upon grounds con s id ered  and 
rep orted  in  th e  subsequent o rd e r  o f  South C a r o lin a 's  
h ig h e s t  Court e s  o f  Kay 11, 1553, ru led

"A fte r  a c a r e fu l  c o n s id e r a t io n  o f  a l l  o f  
th e  co n te n tio n s  o f  th e  d efen dan t, th e  n o t io n  
i s  hereby d e n ie d .*

T h is  Court f in d s  n oth in g  b e fo r e  i t  a t  t h is  tim e 
upon w hich any determ in ation  o f  t h i s  C ourt co u ld  be 
had to  t lie  effect th a t  p e t i t i o n e r  has n ot had h is  day 
in  C ou rt, o r  th a t  th e  v a riou s  is s u e s  p resen ted  have 
n ot been con s id ered  by  a C ourt o f  a ccep ted  and recogn ized  
ju r is d i c t io n  t o  hear and determ ine each and every  o f  such 
is s u e s .

In stead  o f  a d e n ia l  o f  due p r o c e s s , t h is  Court f in d s  
a p a tte rn  o f  design ed  d e la y . la  a re ce n t o rd e r  o f  t h is  
C ourt, va ca tin g  t h is  C o u r t 's  p re v io u s  s ta y  o f  ex e cu tio n , 
d is c u s s io n  and r e c i t a t i o n  was had o f  th e  v a riou s  
o p p o r tu n it ie s  and p r iv i le g e s  o f  appearance and p resen ta ­
t io n  w hich p e t i t io n e r  has had. The South C aro lin a  Courts 
having g iven  th e  p e t i t io n e r  a h earing  and f u l l  co n s id e ra ­
t io n ,  t h is  Court finds n e ith e r  p ro p r ie ty  nor ju s t i f i c a t i o n  
in  in je c t in g  o r  p r o je c t in g  th e  ju r is d i c t io n  o f  t h i s  Court 
fu r th e r  in t o  th e  m a tter. T h is Court was n e ith e r  cre a te d , 
nor d esign ed , to  sit in  a p p e lla te  judgment on S ta te  Court 
a c t io n s , nor have d e c is io n s  p re v io u s ly  r e fe r r e d  t o ,  and 
p o p u la r ly  accla im ed , changed e it h e r  th e  co n fin e s  o f  t h i s  
C o u r t 's  ju r is d i c t io n  o r  th e  n e c e s s ity  th a t t h is  C ourt, 
w ith in  th e  l im ite d  d u t ie s  and r e s p o n s ib i l i t i e s ,  d es ign a ted , 
seek t o  p re d ic a te  a f i n a l i t y  in  o rd er  th a t  th e  w hole o f  
th e  p e o p le  as a s o c ie t y  m ight have ju s t i c e  dona in  b e h a lf  
o f  th a t s o c ie t y .

6 -



A sid e  from th e  tremendous (d a re  we say a t  tim es 
u n ju s t i f ie d )  expense in v o lv e d  in  th e  numerous 
h earin gs  upon th e  va riou s  p e t i t i o n s ,  whether d e c la re d  
f r iv o lo u s  o r  n o t , th e re  i s  th e  r e c o g n it io n  th a t  the 
h ig h e st  c o u r t  o f  th e  lan d , th e  Supreme C ourt o f  th e  
United s t a t e s ,  re fu se d  c e r t i o r a r i  on p rev iou s  m atters 
now sought t o  he again  en te rta in e d  b e fo r e  t h i s  C ourtf 
t h i s  C ourt cannot and w i l l  n o t , u n less  d ir e c te d  by  
h ig h er  a u th o r ity , go beyond th e  c ircu m s cr ip t io n  o f  
d ir e c t io n  o r  in d ir e c t io n  o f  th a t  h ig h e st  co u r t  h e re to ­
f o r e  rendered in  con n ection  w ith  th e  cla im s o f  p e t i t i o n e r .

t h i s  Court f in d s  no b a s is  f o r  fu r th e r  ju r is d i c t io n ,
th e re  b e in g  no determ in ation  by t i l l s  Court th a t  the 
C o n s t itu t io n a l E ights  o f  th e  p e t i t io n e r  have been 
d en ied , o r  d eprived  him, b y , o r  in , th e  C ourts t o  which 
he has re s o r te d , o r  which have a sse rte d  ju r is d i c t io n  o r  
d e c is io n  p r e v io u s ly , th e  Amended P e t it io n  f o r  W rit o f  
Habeas Corpus i s  re fu sed  because  o f  in s u f f i c ie n c y  th e r e o f  
as ex p la in e d .

Further s ta y  o f  ex ecu tion  by t h is  Court i s  d en ied . 
Further ju r is d i c t io n  o f  t h i s  Court i s  d iv e s te d .

ASD IX IS  SO OSDEEE0.

On Kay 13, 1965 th e  C h ie f  Judge o f  th e  U nited S ta te s  Fourth 

C ir c u it  C ourt o f  Appeals o rd e re d »

th e  a p p e lla n t has a p p lied  t o  mo f o r  a s ta y  o f  
e x e cu tio n  o f  a sen ten ce  o f  death  now scheduled  t o  
b e  executed  tomorrow, bay 14, 1965.

The a p p e lla n t has f i l e d  a p rop er n o t ic e  o f  appeal 
from an ord er  en tered  in  th e  United S ta tes  D is t r i c t  
Court f o r  th e  Eastern D is t r i c t  o f  South C arolin a  on 
Kay 12, 1955, denying an amended p e t i t i o n  f o r  habeas 
co rp u s . Hie m otion f o r  stay  i s  f o r  th e  purpose o f  
p r o te c t in g  th e  ju r is d i c t io n  o f  th e  U nited S ta tes  Court 
o f  Appeals durin g  the pendency o f  th e  ap p ea l.

The record  on appeal d is c lo s e s  se v e ra l p roceed in gs  
in  th e  s ta te  c o u r ts , in  which th e re  a re  a number o f  
a sserted  cla im s o f  d e n ia l o f  r ig h ts  p ro te c te d  by th e  
C o n stitu tio n  o f  th e  United S ta te s . The amended p e t i t i o n  
f o r  habeas corpus in  th e  D is t r i c t  C ourt and th e  e a r l i e r  
p e t i t i o n  in  th a t Court sought r e l i e f  upon th ose  grounds.
I t  fu r th e r  appears th a t th e  D is t r i c t  Court has not con­
s id e re d  th e  c o n s t itu t io n a l  c la im s  upon t h e ir  m e r its .
There has b e ta  no e v id e n tia ry  hearing in  th e  D is t r i c t  
Court and, co  fa r  as now appears in  th e  record  on appeal, 
no rev iew  in  th e  D is t r i c t  Court o f  th e  s ta te  co u r t  p ro ­
ceed in g s  to  co n s id e r  whether o r  n o t in  th e  s ta te  p roceed in gs  
th e  fe d e r a l  cla im s have been f a i r l y  heard and determ ined.

On t h e ir  fa c e , I  cannot say th a t the fe d e r a l  c o n s t it u t io n a l  
cla im s are f r iv o lo u s  o r  th a t th e  appeal i s  n ot w ithout 
p rob a b le  m e r it . Indeed, the D is t r i c t  Judge c e r t i f i e d ,  
f o r  the purpose o f  p r o te c t in g  th e  r ig h ts  o f  th e  a p p e lla n t, 
tlie  e x is te n ce  o f  p rob ab le  cause to  app ea l.

- 7 -



l a  th e se  circu m stan ces , e x e cu tio n  o f  th e  sen ten ce  
would e f f e c t i v e l y  deny th e  r ig h t  o f  a p p ea l, and a 
s ta y  o f  th e  e x e cu tio n  i s  e s s e n t ia l  f o r  th e  p r o te c t io n  
o f  th e  ju r is d i c t io n  o f  th e  U nited S ta te s  Court o f  
a p p ea ls  t o  hear end determ ine th e  a p p e lla n t ’ s  r ig h ts  
in  th e  p r e c is e s .

There i s  a ls o  b e fo r e  tee a p e t i t i o n  o f  th e  a p p e lla n t 
f o r  le a v e  t o  p roceed  in  forraa p a u p e r is . For th e  reason s 
s ta te d  above, X have determ ined t o  gran t th e  p e t i t i o n
f o r  le a v e  t o  p roceed  w ith ou t prepayment o f  f e e s ,  t o  
c e r t i f y  th e  e x is te n ce  o f  p rob a b le  cau se  t o  ap p ea l, and 
t o  o rd e r  a  s ta y  o f  th e  e x e cu tio n  pending th e  d eterm in ation  
o f  th e  appeal in  th e  U nited S ta te s  C ourt o f  A ppeals f o r  
th e  Fourth C ir c u i t .

IT XS ORDERED, t h e r e fo r e , th a t  th e  a p p e lla n t b e , and 
he i s  h ereby , p erm itted  t o  p ro se cu te  h is  appeal in  t h is  
C ourt in  th e  above e n t i t le d  ca s e  in  forraa p au p eris  in  
accord an ce  w ith  T i t l e  28, t f .S .C ., §  1915, w ith ou t the 
prepayment o f  c o s t s  o r  th e  g iv in g  o f  s e c u r ity  th e r e fo r .

Fosrnsa  ORDERED th a t th e  C lerk  o f  t h i s  C ourt f i l e  th e  
p re lim in ary  re c o rd  on appeal and d o ck e t  th e  appeal a s  o f  
Kay 13, 1SSS.

FURTHER ORDERED, upon co n s id e r a t io n  o f  th e  p e t i t i o n  
and pursuant t o  th e  authority under T i t l e  28, 0 .3 .C .,
§ 2251, th a t  tiis e x e cu tio n  of th e  sen ten ce  o f  death  
im posed by th e  Court o f  General S ession s  o f  D orch ester 
County, S ta te  of South Carolina, b e , and th e  same i s  
h ereby , stayed  pending th e  term in ation  o f  th e  appeal 
h ere in  o r  th e  fu r th e r  o rd e r  o f  th e  C ou rt.

May 13, 1955

/ s /  Clement F . Eayaaworth, J r . 
C h ie f  Judge, Fourth C ir c u it

Subsequent t o  th e  a p p e lla te  o p in io n  th e  C ou rt, t o  e x p e d ite

had a  p r e - t r i a l  co n fe re n ce  which re s u lte d  in  an Order o f  August 4 ,

1965*

Pursuant to and in  accordance w ith  th e  direction in  
the opinion of the United States C ir c u it  Court o f  
Appeals for the Fourth United States Circuit, dated 
June 23, 1335, this Court proceeds t o  determine from 
a rehearing and a reconsideration o f  the record and 
the transcripts, the v a riou s  issues raised in the 
amended petition of May 12, 1935, in the above styled 
matter. Moorer having charged that h is  constitutional 
rights have been infringed, this Court has an obligation 
to review independently the State Court proceedings t o  
determine whether the findings o f  f a c t  are fairly 
supported by evidence of record and the conclusions o f  
law are correct, as discussed in  Townsend v. Cain,
372 0.3. 293 (1963). ” 40

s -*



Paragraph f i v e  o f  th e  amended p e t i t i o n  a l le g e s  
v io la t io n  o f  th e  due p ro ce ss  and equal p r o te c t io n  
c la u s e s , floo rer  c la im in g  h is  ind ictm en t by  Grand 
Jury and h is  c o n v ic t io n  by  P e t i t  Jury in  w hich 
members o f  th e  S egro  r a c e , o f  w hich he i s  a member, 
were s y s te m a t ic a lly  and a r b i t r a r i l y  excluded  o r  
l im ite d  in  number* T h is  issu®  was p resen ted  t o  th e  
South C aro lin a  Supreme Court a f t e r  b e in g  p resen ted  
t o  South C a ro lin a  C ir c u it  Judge G rin-ball in  a habeas 
corpus p roceed in g  {which su bsequ en tly  was g iven  a 
reh ea rin g  by  Judge G rim ball) b u t was n o t  p resen ted  
a t  th e  o r ig in a l  t r ia l*  P e t it io n e r , in  t h is  C ourt, 
seeks t o  base  h is  p rayer f o r  r e l i e f  upon s t a t i s t i c a l  
c a lc u la t io n s ,  which do n ot appear apropos t o  th is  
p a r t ic u la r  c a s e . The Court p r e s e n t ly  i s  o f  th e  
o p in io n  th a t  th e re  was s u f f i c i e n t  ev id en ce  developed  
and a ire d  t o  make a determ in ation  in  accordan ce  w ith  
th e  mandate o f  Townsend v* Sain , su pra . Counsel f o r  
p e t i t io n e r  w i l l  be- a ffo rd e d  an op p o rtu n ity  t o  argue 
th e  a lle g e d  inadequacy o f  t h i s  e v id e n ce , i f  he f e e l s  
s o  a d v ised , t o  p r o t e c t  p e t i t i o n e r ’ s  r ig h t s .

Paragraph s i x  o f  th e  p e t i t i o n  com plains o f  the 
arraignm ent o f  defen dan t in  th e  absence o f  c o u n s e l.
I t  appears from  th e  re co rd  o f  t r i a l  th a t  defen dan t 
was rea rra ign ed  in  th e  p resen ce  o f  co u n se l end i t  
fa r th e r  appears th a t  in  th e  habeas corpus h earing  
b e fo r e  South C aro lin a  F i f t h  C ir c u it  Judge John c r im b a ll  
th a t  w itn e sse s  were heard and th a t  a f u l l  e v id e n t ia ry  
h earin g  was had on t h is  is s u e . I t  seems p aten t th a t no 
fa r th e r  ev iden ce  i s  n ecessary  fa r  a c o n s t it u t io n a l  
co n s id e ra t io n  o f  t h is  i s s u e .  A cco rd in g ly , no ev iden ce  
th ereabou t w i l l  b e  n ecessary  in  th e  h earin g  b e fo r e  t h is  
C ou rt. P e t it io n e r  w i l l ,  o f  co u rse , have th e  r ig h t  t o  
p re se n t argument t o  -the C ourt as t o  why more ev id en ce  
i s  n e ce ssa ry , i f  he i s  so  a d v ise d .

Paragraph seven a l le g e s  th a t "p e t it io n e r  was not 
g iven  an a ccu ra te , u n equ ivoca l and com plete  re co rd  
o f  a l l  p roceed in gs  in  th e  C ourt o f  General S ession s  
. .  .  p reced in g  t h is  c o n v ic t io n  end sen ten ce  o f  d e a th ."  
Counsel f o r  p e t i t i o n e r  has conceded th a t  th ere  i s  no 
need f o r  an e v id e n t ia ry  h earin g  on t h is  is s u e . 
A cco rd in g ly , th ere  w i l l  b o  none.

The th ru s t  o f  paragraph e ig h t  was th a t th e  S h e r i f f  
had t e s t i f i e d  th a t  p e t i t io n e r  had made a "statem ent" 
o r  "c o n fe s s io n "  e t  a p re lim in a ry  h ea r in g . Shore was 
no  req u est f o r  an e v id e n t ia ry  h earin g  on t h is  is s u e ; 
determ in ation  can b e  made from  th e  re c o rd .

Paragraph n in e  a l le g e s  th a t p e t i t io n e r  was never 
given  a t ru e  copy  o f  th e  w hole in d ictm en t a g a in st 
him as req u ired  by § 17 -403 , S . C. Cocks, 19-32.
There was mid i s  no q u estion  bu t th a t p e t i t io n e r  was 
n ot g iv en  a copy  o f  th e  ind ictm en t a t  th e  tim e o f  
h is  arraignm ent. Counsel w i l l  have the op p ortu n ity  
t o  argue th e  le g a l  im pact o f  t h is  d e n ia l . 41



is s u e  ra ise d  in  paragraph t e a ,  w hich a l le g e s  
th a t  $ 16 -71 , S . C . Code, 1952, ( th e  s ta tu te  which 
d e fin e *  ra p e ) , l a  upon I t s  fa c e  and as con stru ed  
and a p p lie d  t o  p e t i t i o n e r ,  vague, in d e f in i t e  and 
U n certa in . Counsel agreed th a t no e v id e n t ia ry  
h ear in g  i «  n ecessary  th ereabou t and that the m atter 
would be p resen ted  to th e  C ourt by way of legal 
argument.

As t o  paragraph e lev en  o f  th e  May 12 p e t i t i o n ,  
cou n se l agreed a t  th e  h ear in g  th a t  no e v id e n t ia ry  
h ear in g  was n ecessary  but th a t  th e  s u f f i c ie n c y  o f  
th e  ev id en ce  t o  su sta in  th e  c o n v ic t io n  would be 
f u l l y  exp lored  by co u n se l in  le g a l  argument a t  th e  
h earin g  h e r e in a fte r  d is cu s s e d . C ounsel a re  f r e e  to  
ttaJse re fe r e n c e  t o  any and a l l  t r a n s c r ip t s  and s h a l l  
he prepared  t o  c i t e  t o  th e  C ourt re le v a n t  p o r t io n s  
and pages th e r e o f .

Counsel agreed th a t  th e  m atters s e t  fo r th  in  
paragraph tw elve  o f  th e  p e t i t i o n  were f i r s t  ra ise d  
in  t h is  p e t i t i o n .  iJo e v id e n t ia ry  h earin g  was re ­
qu ested , a f t e r  d is c u s s io n , and th e  is s u e  t o  be 
d is cu sse d  and argued b e fo r e  th e  C ourt i s  whether o r  
n o t  th e  a lle g e d  c o n fe s s io n  was v o lu n ta ry , which 
in c lu d e s  th e  q u e s tio n  o f  whether th e  ju r y  should  have 
been excused during th e  d is cu s s io n  th ereabou t in  th e  
C ourt o f  General S ess ion s  f o r  D orch ester County on 
t r i a l  o f  th e  ca u se .

Paragraph th ir te e n  a l le g e s  th a t § 1 5 -72 , S . C. Code,
1952, (which p r e s c r ib e s  th e  death  p en a lty  f o r  c o n v ic t io n  
o f  rape) upon i t s  fa c e  and a p p lie d  t o  p e t i t i o n e r  under 
th e  circu m stan ces h ere  v io la t e s  th e  Fourteenth  Amendment 
in  th at*

a ) i t  im poses a c r u e l  and unusual punishment? and
b ) th ere  has been unequal a p p lic a t io n  o f  t h i s  
s ta tu te  and a lon g  standing p r a c t i c e ,  p o l i c y ,  and 
custom o f  "sen ten cin g  Eegro men t o  death  f o r  rape 
upon w h ite  women w h ile  n ot i n f l i c t i n g  t h is  punish ­
ment upon any o th e r  p e rs o n ."

Fart “a "  c le a r ly  p re se n ts  a r a t t e r  o f  law f o r  th e  Court and 
cou n se l agreed  th a t no e v id e n t ia ry  h earin g  was n ecessary  o r  
w arranted.

As t o  subparagraph "fa", t h is  Court must determ ine, and 
cou n se l a re  d ir e c te d  t o  a d v is e , as t o  ( 1 ) th e  c o n s t itu t io n a l  
d im unition  claim ed? (2 ) the b a s is  o r  com petency of any 
s t a t i s t i c a l  ev iden ce  sought t o  b e  in trodu ced? ( 3 ) whether 
th e  p a r t ie s  can s t ip u la te  s a t i s f a c t o r i l y  t o  th e  end th a t th e  
Court can ru le  on t h is  co n te n tio n  as a m atter o f  law? and 
(4 )  whether th e  " l o g i c a l  extrem e* o f  th e  "ev id en ce" p o s s ib le  
in  t h is  ca se  w i l l  have a sa lu ta ry  e f f e c t  on th e  p rop er adm inis­
t r a t io n  o f  ju s t ic e *  O f c o u rse , th e  q u e stio n  o f  u n co n s t itu t io n a l 
a p p lic a t io n , i f  such e x i s t s ,  o f  th e  s ta tu te  w ith  re fe r e n c e  
t o  EAFB may b e  f u l l y  argued in  t h i s  h ea r in g .

- 10 -
42



Slothing h e re in  © hall limit th e  right of petitioner 
to present f a l l  argument on any of  the issues, or to 
make a motion th a t  the p len a ry  hearing hereinafter 
directed he more "exhaustive" than the foregoing 
suggests.

Counsel agreed th a t  i t  would n ot b e  n ecessary  
f o r  p e t i t i o n e r  t o  b e  p resen t a t  th e  h ea r in g , th a t 
h is  absence th erefrom  would in  no w ise  deny him any 
c o n s t it u t io n a l  r ig h t  as n e ith e r  cou n se l nor  th e  Court 
f in d  i t  n ecessa ry  t o  ta k e  h is  testim on y  on  any is s u e  
co n s id e re d .

Counsel w i l l  c o n fe r  in  advance o f  h earin g  t o  as­
c e r t a in  i f  s t ip u la t io n s  can b e  agreed  upon and w i l l  
a d v ise  th e  C ourt th ereabou t in  th e  b r i e f s  m entioned 
be low .

A p len a ry  h earin g  w i l l  b e  h e ld  in  th e  courtroom  o f  
th e  U nited S ta te s  D is t r i c t  Court a t Colum bia, South 
C a ro lin a , a t  10*00 A. M ., August IS , 1955, and con tin u e  
th e r e a fte r  u n t i l  consummated. f i v e  days in  advance o f  
sa id  h ea r in g , cou n se l w i l l  p re se n t th e  Court w ith  a 
b r i e f  exp ress in g  f u l l y  upon th e  le g a l  and fa c tu a l  
is s u e s  s e t  by th is  Order and by  agreem ent, and s h a l l  
p resen t agreed s t ip u la t io n s .  In sa id  b r i e f  s h a l l  b e  
n oted  a l l  appearances exp ected  a t  th e  h earin g  and a 
statem ent as t o  th e  approxim ate tim e d e s ire d  f o r  
p re se n ta tio n  and argument*

Other h earin gs w i l l  b e  had upon ju s t i f i c a t i o n  shown.

AHD IT IS  SO ORDERED.

/s/  Robert W. Hemphill 
United S ta tes  D is t r i c t  Judge

August 4, 1965.

A t th e  h earin g  o f  August IS , 1965, end s in c e , a l l  co rarete-nt 

ev id en ce  was and has been rev iew ed . Although cou n se l had agreed  a t  

p r e - t r i a l  p e t i t i o n e r 's  p resen ce  was n ot needed, upon m otion th e  h earin g  

was delayed  and p e t i t io n e r  sen t f o r .  Be s a t  through th e  e n t i r e  p roceed ­

in g , b u t n e ith e r  gave ev id en ce  nor co n fe rre d  w ith  co u n se l in  th e  co u r t

room.

The fo llo w in g  c o l lo q u y  took  p la ce s

COURT* l e t  th e  re co rd  show th a t under d ir e c t io n  
o f  th e  C ir c u it  Court o f  Appeals I  convened t h is  
h earin g  making available t o  cou n se l th e  op p ortu n ity  
t o  p resen t such fa c t s  as wore com petent, such argument 
as  sh ou ld , co u ld , o r  would b e  made on th e  q u e stio n s  in  
th e  P e t it io n  and as  agreed upon in  th e  p r e - t r i a l  and 
as reduced t o  w r it in g  in  the p r e - t r i a l  o r d e r . Upon

11 43



ca&mmctment  o f  the h earin g  t h i s  morning counsel 
having a d v iced  th a t  th ey  had changed their 
previous p o s i t io n  a3  to the presentee of the 
Petitioner, the C ourt was re ce sse d  for the purpose 
of b r in g in g  th e  P e t it io n e r  to this Courtroom, which 
was done. The P e t it io n e r  i s  here. The Court s i t s  
waiting to hear th e  arguments and/or the competent 
facts on th o se  m atters  for w hich this Court was 
convened and o f  w hich due n o t i c e  was given to 
C ou n se l. Under th o se  circu m stan ce*  the Court 
s i t s  now to h ear th o se  arguments*

If Counsel invokes a p a tte rn  of delay for the 
purpose of a vo id in g  i t s  r e s p o n s ib i l i t y  as officers 
of the Court t o  p re s e n t , i f  th ey  can or if they 
have proper argum ents, then t h is  Court would ta k e  
such under co n s id e r a t io n  a t  t h is  t im e . X would l ik e  
to hear from  you a t  t h i s  tim e why you are not arguing.

JSt. PEEKS'* Your Honor, did you direct an inquiry 
of us?

COURT* Yea, X d id .

148* PERRY* Was i t  th a t

COURT * You asked for the Petitioner to be here 
and he is h e re .

MS, PERKY* Y es, s i r .  Your Honor.

COURT* You ashed f o r  him t o  b e  h ere  and your 
a s s o c ia t e  went in t o  some m atters about which he 
had n e ith e r  in form ation  n o r , so  fa r  as  X can see, 
any co n s u lta t io n  o r  a d v ice  during th e  e n t ir e  
p ro ce e d in g . I am h e re  t o  hear what ev id en ce  he 
has i f  he has e v id e n ce . 1  have review ed th is  re cord  
no l e s s  than, th re e  t im e s . I f  th e  arguments o r  any 
o f  th e  th in g s  and m atters s e t  fo r th  in  th e  P e t it io n  
o r  as  s o l i d i f i e d  in  the p r o - t r i a l  o rd e r  o r  o th e r  
arguments, th e  Court i a  w it t in g  and a v a i la b le .

HR. EEPl'KJXJ* Your Honor, re se rv in g  a l l  o b je c t io n s  
t o  th e  C o u rt 's  ru lin g s  g o to  b e fo r e , tod ay , we have 
no more p r o o f  t o  o f f e r  in  su pp ort of paragraph 13b 
o f  th e  amended P e t it io n  f o r  w r it  o f  Habeas Corpus 
f i l e d  on Kay 12, 1965.

COURT* What d o  you say ns t o  th e  rest of it?

ISt. PERKY* Sow, may i t  p le a se  th e  C ou rt, th e  
P e t it io n e r  o f f e r s  as  e x h ib it s  in  t h i s  ca se  th e  
fo llo w in g  th in g s*  The t r a n s c r ip t  o f  re co rd  in  th e  
Supreme Court o f  South C aro lin a  in  th e  f i r s t  p la c e , 
which, o f  co u rse , i s  a t r a n s c r ip t  o f  th e  t r i a l  o f  
th e  ca se  w hich occu rred  i a  h p r i l ,  1962.

COURT* I s n 't  th a t  a lread y  in  th e  r e co rd ?

HR* PESKY* Your Honor, I  do n o t r e c a l l  th a t it 
i s  ia th e  re c o rd , i t  ra y  b o . Mr. Brandon?

12 44



« U  BRAUSCU* I don't believe that it is
COURT* W ell, th e re  i s  no o b je c t io n  to it and 

i f  th e re  i s  th e  o b je c t io n  i s  o v e r r u le d . The 
ev id en ce  ia a ccep ted  and has been review ed by 
this Court p r e v io u s ly  and w i l l  b e  review ed a ga in .

!€R. PERRY* Kow, you r Honor, I  have th e  same th in g  
t o  say w ith  re fe r e n c e  —  about th e  Habeas Corpus 
p roceed in gs  which w ere h e ld  b e fo r e  th e  H onorable John 
G riiab a ll, Judge o f  th e  F i f th  J u d ic ia l  C ir c u it  o f  South 
C a ro lin a . And t h i s  was th e  t r a n s c r ip t ,  of  co u rse , 
p roceed in g  th e  second d e c is io n  by the Supreme C ourt 
o f  South C a ro lin a .

COOTS* I  th in k  t h a t 's  p ro p e r .

MR. BRAHDOa* We w i l l  j o in  in  ia  moving th a t th e  
Court ta k e  ju d i c ia l  n o t ic e  o f  a l l  th a t .

COWS* X th in k  t h a t 's  p ro p e r . X  have a lrea d y  read 
them  two o r  th ree  tim.es and 1  w i l l  b e  happy t o  have 
them a ga in .

HR. FERRY* Then, th e re  i s  no n e c e s s ity  o f  our 
a c tu a lly  handing in  ou r cop y , X b e l ie v e  th e  Court 
has c o p ie s .

COURT* W ell, i f  th e  Court d o e s n 't  have c o p ie s , 
u n less  th e  Counsel d is a g re e , th e  Court w i l l  c a l l  on 
Counsel t o  fu rn is h  such c o p ie s  and then re tu rn  them 
a t  such tim e as th e  d is p o s i t io n  o f  th e  Court i s  f i n a l .  
A l l  r ig h t ,  s i r .

MR. PERSY* The P e t it io n e r  r e s t s ,  your Honor.

COURT* You mean t o  t e l l  me, fir . F erry , th a t you 
have no argument t o  p resen t tod ay  a f t e r  ask ing the 
C ir c u it  Court o f  A ppeals t o  come back her®?

HR. PERSY* Oh, y e s , your Honor, wo have arguments 
b u t X have r e fe r e n c e  t o ,  o f  c o u rse , th e  e v id e n tia ry  
p re s e n ta t io n s .

COURT* T h a t 's  a l l  tile  ev id en ce?

HR. PERKY* E la t 's  r ig h t ,  your Honor.

COURT* Does th e  S ta te  o f  South C aro lin a  have any 
ev id en ce?

MR. BR&KDOHs Ho, your Honor, we have none.

COURT* A l l  r ig h t .  You may pursue.

MR. WOXiFE* I f  your Honor w i l l  perm it me, X have 
endeavored t o  cooperate with the A ttorn ey  G eneral and 
h is  s t a f f  who have been so  kind. And as X understood  
i t  no ev iden ce  was t o  b s  submitted, under th e  p r e - t r i a l  
o rd e r , and, o f  co u rse , we d id n 't  attem pt t o  b r in g  anybody 
h e re .

13 45



COURTs W e ll, s o l i c i t o r ,  fcho purpose  o f  tb e  p re ­
t r i a l  was t o  in q u ire  o f  Counsel a s  t o  what we Blight 
e x p e ct  today  and b e  ga in ed  th ereby  in  a l lo c a t in g  th e  
tim e and purposes o f  the C ou rt, had i f  he had had 
s a m  com petent ev id en ce  t o  o f f e r  X would n ot have 
k ep t him from i t .  had then i f  you had made a m otion 
Upon showing, you would b e  a llow ed t o  rebu t and b r in g  
in  o th e r  ev id en ce  and, o f  c o u rse , he would have been 
a b le  t o  r e p ly  t o  you r3 .  That would have been th e  
form a t.

The purpose o f  th e  p r e - t r i a l  was n o t  t o  keep anybody 
f r o a  produ cing  ev id en ce  bu t ju s t  t o  s e e  what th e  p ro ­
ced u re  would b e . There i s  no n e c e s s ity  f o r  ev id en ce  
on  th e  p a r t  of  th e  S ta te  o r  on you r p a r t , a s  an o f f i c e r  
o f  t h i s  s ta t e  and an o f f i c e r  o f  t h is  C ou rt, t o  p resen t 
e v id e n c e . X d o n 't  th in k  th a t  th e re  i s  any disagreem ent 
b u t th a t  any o f  th e  o f f i c i a l  re cord s  would b e  p ro p e r ly  
co n s id e re d . 1 th in k  t h a t 's  what th e  C ir c u it  Court meant 
and t h a t 's  what 1  have been t r y in g  t o  do u n less  th e re  i s  
som ething unusual, o u ts id e  o f  th e  re c o rd , w hich X h a v e n 't  
seen h e re . X d o n 't  know o f  an y th in g . A l l  r ig h t ,  s i r ,  
p ro ce e d .

T h is C ourt has review ed th e  t r a n s c r ip t  o f  p roceed in gs  b e fo r e  

th e  Court o f  G eneral S ession s  f o r  D orch ester County, p roceed in g s  and 

b r i e f s  b e fo r e  th e  Supreme Court o f  South C a ro lin a , Habeas Corpus 

p roceed in gs  b e fo r e  th e  Court o f  G eneral S ess ion s  f o r  R ichland County, 

and v a r io u s  b r i e f s  o f  co u n s e l, o rd e rs  o f  c o u r ts , e t c .  I t  has screened  

again  th e  "C a p ita l Punishment Survey”5 w hich sought t o  p e rp e tra te  

incom petent in form ation  b e fo r e  th e  Court in  l i e u  o f  com petent e v id e n ce .

There i s  a la ck  o f  s u f f i c i e n t  ev id en ce  t o  g iv e  m erit to  

P e t i t i o n e r 's  c la im s . They must be den ied  because  o f  th e  la ck  o f  

e v id e n ce .

The a tta ck  on th e  com position  o f  the Grand Jury and P e t it  

Jury o f  th e  D orch ester County Court f a i l s ,  as a m atter o f  law in  the 

l ig h t  o f  Swaiji.y,, Alabama.6 T h is  Court n otes  an in t e r e s t in g  argument 

b y  defendants h ere  where th e  State Habeas Corpus was appealed t o  the 

South C aro lin a  Supreme C ourt by  p e t i t io n e r  (then  a p p e lla n t )t

5 F ile d  w ith  t i l l s  Order and made E x h ib it  "A" h e r e o f .
6 380 U .S. 302,

14 - 46



‘Thera i s  testim on y in  th e  re co rd  as t o  th e  number 
o f  D ale e le c t o r s  q u a l i f ie d  f o r  ju r y  s e r v ic e  f o r  the 
y e a r  1S62 o n ly . The Chairman o f  th e  R e g is tra t io n  
Board was n ot a b le  t o  g iv e  even an approxim ation  f o r  
p r io r  y e a rs , and a p p e lla n t has made no attem pt t o  
determ ine th e  number from the r e g is t r a t io n  hooks, 
w hich w ere in  e v id e n ce . The number o f  q u a l i f ie d  
male e le c t o r s  in  1962 was p la ce d  a t 3 ,00 0 , o f  whom 
250 t o  300 w ere estim ated  t o  he K egroes.

A p p e lla n t, w h ile  adm itting th a t  he i s  n ot e n t i t le d  
t o  any s p e c i f i c  number o r  p ercen tage  o f  n eg roes  on 
M b ju r ie s ,  and c i t i n g  a u th o r ity  th e r e fo r e  (C a s s e ll  
v .  Texas, 10 O .C t. 620, 339 tf.S . 2 S 2 ), n ev erth e less  
argues th a t p r o p o r t io n a lly  th e re  should  be from  1054 
t o  1554 N egroes s e le c t e d .  Ee bases t h i s  on th e  
r e la t io n s h ip  o f  200 t o  250 n egroes on a t o t a l  ju ry  
l i s t  o f  approx im ately  2 ,0 0 0 . I t  i s  n o t respondents* 
in te n t io n  t o  q u ib b le  over p ercen ta g es , but i t  i s  
e a s i ly  seen th a t even the most  l i b e r a l  estim ate  o f  
250 N egroes i s  o n ly  12 1/2%  o f  th e  t o t a l  o f  2 ,0 0 0 .
K ith  two N egroes o u t  o f  IS on th e  grand ju ry  which 
in d ic te d  a p p e lla n t , t h is  means th a t  o v e r  11% were 
N egroes. Bo testim on y i s  in  th e  re co rd  as t o  whether 
any N egroes were holdovers, hut  i f  b o th  were drawn in  
1952, t l i i s  moans th a t  two o u t o f  tw elve  were E egrocs , 
o r  16 2/3% .

A p p e lla n t had o n ly  two Negroes ou t o f  46 on h is  
p e t i t  ju r y  p an e l, o r  .04356. T h is i s  l e s s  than h is  
minimum o f  10%, o f  c o u rse .

Respondents have used th ese  f ig u r e s  t o  i l l u s t r a t e  
th e  a b su rd ity  o f  a ttem pting t o  s e t  p e rce n ta g e s . We 
th ink  th e  record  amply shows th a t N egroes a re  p la ced  
on th e  ju r y  l i s t s  in  th e  same o r  h ig h er  p ro p o rtio n  as 
o th e r  ra ce s  in  r e la t io n  to  the number r e g is te r e d , and 
th a t  t h e ir  s e le c t io n  on th e  grand ju r y  o r  p e t i t  ju ry  
pan el i s  p u re ly  a m atter o f  ch an ce . I t  i s  u n con trad icted  
th a t th e  ju r y  l i s t s  in  D orch ester County have no r a c ia l  
d e s ig n a tio n  on them, n or i s  any such d e s ig n a tio n  made 
on th e  ca p su les  in t o  which th e  in d iv id u a l names are 
p la ce d .

A p p e lla n t o b v io u s ly  cannot p rove  any e x c lu s io n , 
system a tic  c r  o th erw ise , s in c e  i t  i s  undisputed th a t 
Negroes w ere on th e  grand ju ry  and th e  p e t i t  ju ry  
panel in  1962. H is co n te n tio n  th a t th ere  was a 
l im it a t io n  on  th e  number o f  N egroes f a l l s  fa r  sh ort 
in  fell® m atter o r  p r o o f .

Paragraph 13 (a ) o f  the Amended P e t it io n  a tta ck s  § 16-72 ,

S . C. Code o f  tew s, 1S52J as amended, because " i t  im poses a c r u e l  

and unusual punishm ent?" and t h i s  Court f in d s  th e  q u estion  was

^ K'hieh reads j jpuMslraaiit fo r "  rape o r  a ssa u lt  w itii in te n t  t o  ra v is h . 
Any person  co n v ic te d  o f  rape o r  a ssa u lt  w ith  in te n t  t o  ra v ish  s h a l l  
s u f f e r  death  sinless th e  ju ry  s h a l l  recommend him t o  th e  mercy o f  the 
co u r t  in  which event he s h a l l  bo co n fin e d  a t hard la b o r  in  th e  S ta te  
P e n ite n tia ry  f o r  a tors?, not exceed in g  f o r t y  yea rs  n or le s s  than f i v e  
y e a rs , a t  th e  d is c r e t io n  o f  th e  p re s id in g  ju d g e .

-  k  - 47



before* the Supreme Court o f  th e  W aited States in Rudolph v. s t a t e  

o f  Alabama. 8 Shat Co-art den ied  c e r t i o r a r i ,  ter. Justice Douglas 

and Mr. Justice Brennan jo in e d , d is se n t in g *

I would gran t c e r t i o r a r i  in this case and in 
Snider v. Cunningham, 375 US 889, 11 t ed 2d 119,
64 s  Ct 154, t o  co n s id e r  w hether th e  E ighth and 
Fourteenth  amendments t o  th e  U nited S ta tes  Con­
s t i t u t io n  perm it th e  im p o s it io n  o f  th e  death 
p e n a lty  on a c o n v ic te d  r a p is t  who has n e ith e r  
taken n or endangered human l i f e .

The fo llo w in g  q u e s t io n s , in t e r  a l i a ,  seeia 
re le v a n t  and worthy o f  argument and co n s id e ra t io n s

( 1 ) la  l ig h t  o f  th e  tren d  b oth  in  t h i s  cou n try
and throughout th e  w orld  a g a in st  pun ish in g  rape, 
by  d eath , d ocs  th e  im p os ition  o f  the death p en a lty  
b y  th o se  S ta tes  w hich r e t a in  i t  f o r  rape v io la t e  
"e v o lv in g  standards o f  decency th a t  mark the p ro ­
g re ss  o f  Jour] m aturing s o c i e t y , “ o r  "standards o f  
decency more o r  l e s s  u n iv e rs a lly  a cce p te d ? ”

(2 )  I s  th e  tak in g  o f  human l i f e  t o  p r o t e c t  a 
va lu e  o th e r  than human l i f e  c o n s is te n t  w ith  th e  
c o n s t itu t io n a l  p r o s c r ip t io n  a g a in st "punishments 
which b y  t h e ir  e x c e s s iv e  . . .  s e v e r ity  a re  g r e a t ly  
d i^ p rop ortion ed  t o  th e  o f fe n s e s  ch arged?"

(3 ) Can tlie p e rm iss ib le  aims o f  punishment ( e . g . ,  
d e te rre n ce , i s o la t i o n ,  r e h a b i l i t a t io n )  be ach ieved  
as  e f f e c t i v e l y  by  pun ish in g  rape le a s  s e v e re ly  than 
by death e .  g » ,  by l i f e  im prisonm ent)i i f  s o , does 
tile  im p os ition  o f  th e  death p e n a lty  f o r  rape con ­
s t i t u t e  "unnecessary c r u e lt y ? ”

2n a subsequent Habeas Corpus® p roceed in g  Rudolph was freed  

because h is  c o n fe s s io n , b u t we n ote  th e  rev iew  of th e  f a c t s 10 in  the 

Alabama D is t r i c t  Court op in ion s

The p ro s e cu tr ix  in  t h i s  ca se  was &  young w hite  
woman. At th e  tim e o f  h is  a r re s t  and c o n v ic t io n , 
th e  p e t it io n e r  Rudolph was a 2 0 -y e a r -o ld  SSegro man.
The t r a n s c r ip t  o f  th e  t r i a l  r e f l e c t s  th a t  on August 1,
1981, and sometime during tbs- e a r ly  morning hours o f  
th a t  d a te , tins p r o s e cu tr ix  who was s le e p in g  in  her 
apartment in  Birmingham, Alabama, awakened t o  f in d  
someone stan d in g  over h e r . Tha  p ro s e cu tr ix  t e s t i f i e d  
th a t she was s e x u a lly  a ssau lted  tw ice , w ith  th e  o n ly  
p h y s ica l  v io le n c e  o ccu rr in g  whoa th e  p ro s e cu tr ix  ran 
in t o  th e  k itch en  a f t e r  i l ls  com pletion  o f  th e  second 
sexual a c t  and t r ie d  t o  u n lock  th e  d o o r , a t  which 
tim e she was shoved a g a in st the w a ll by th e  man

”  Wo. 308, M iac. ISomortndua C nocs, C ot. Term 1954. See 11 i .  id  2d 119. 
9 Eudolph v .  Holman, c t  e l ,  235 F .Supo. 62.

Se® a ls o  v - 275 A la . 115, 152 So 2d 262.

1G - 48



a ssa u lt in g  h e r . $he p ro s e cu tr ix  t e s t i f i e d  that 
se v e ra l tim es during th e  o cc a s io n  in  q u e stio n  
tiie  accused  rep ea ted , "You can look  at me, bu t 
you w o n 't  l i v e  t o  t e l l  i t . "  th e  accused  was 
a rre s te d  th e  sam® n ig h t by th e  Birmingham p o l i c e  
o f f i c e r s  and th e se  o f f i c e r s  t e s t i f i e d  as to a 
c o n fe s s io n  made b y  Rudolph a t  approx im ately  2*50 
p .  at. on August 1, 1961, in  th e  hom icide room of 
th e  C ity  H a ll, Birmingham, Alabama. u

T h is  Court n otes  th a t  th e  extrem e v io le n c e  p resen t in  

floorer  d id  n ot e x is t  in  Rudolph. T h is  Court f in d s  th a t th e  s ta tu te  

(16 -7 2 ) d oes n o t  p ro v id e  c r u e l  and unusual punishment in  v io la t io n  

o f  t lie  c o n s t i t u t io n a l  ban . In  making t h is  d e c is io n  t h is  C ourt has

review ed Trap  v .  Sullen.3-* toulsinna v. p^rweber.*3 Keens v .  Pnited 
States,13 and o th e r  lea d in g  treatm ents by ou r Court o f  b a s t R e so r t .

Paragraph 1 3 (b ) o f  th e  Amended P e t it io n  a lle g e s *

b )  th e re  has been unequal a p p lic a t io n  o f  t h is  s ta tu te  
and a lon g  standing p r a c t i c e ,  p o l i c y ,  and custom  o f  
"sen ten cin g  Kegro men t o  death for rape upon w h ite  
women w h ile  n o t i n f l i c t i n g  t i l l s  punishment upon any 
o th e r  p e r s o n .*

The ev id en ce  p r o f fe r e d  was refu sed* i t  was h earsay . I t  

was n o t p rop er  t o  the ca u se . Racism had i t s  day in  C ourt, b u t the 

red  h err in g  o f  racism  was i n s u f f i c i e n t  b a i t  t o  draw th e  fo cu s  o f  

tru th  away from th e  r u le s  o f  e v id e n ce . Ho m e r ito r io u s  f a c t s  o r  

arguments w ere p resen ted  on t h i s  is s u e .

P e t it io n e r  a tta ck s  S ection  15—71, South C arolin a  Cods 

f o r  196214, as vague and u n ce rta in . In  South C aro lin a  the r u le  o f  

reason  in  th e  ru le  o f  law as to  s ta tu te  o r  in d ictm en t*13

I t  i s  w e ll  s e t t le d  th a t  an ind ictm ent should 
a l le g e  th e  o f fe n s e  w ith  s u f f i c i e n t  c e r ta in ty  and 
p a r t ic u la r ly  t o  en ab le  th e  co u r t  t o  know what 
judgment t o  pronounce, th e  defendant to  know what 
he i s  c a l le d  upon t o  answer, and an a c q u it ta l  o r  
c o n v ic t io n  aay  b e  p leaded  in  bar to  any subsequent 
p ro s e cu t io n . * 12 13 * 15

JJ ’gg" \01 ~
12 329 0 .3 .  459, 469.
13 217 U .S. 349, 373.
b* Which reads* Rape. -Slhosoevor s h a l l  ra v ish  a woman, m arried , maid o r  

o th e r , when she d id  not con sen t, e ith e r  b e fo r e  o r  a f t e r ,  o r  ra v ish eth  
a woman w ith  f o r c e ,  a lthough  she con sen t a f t e r ,  s h a l l  ba  deemed 
g u i lt y  o f  raise.

15  g fe b e  y .  Jtontgaau-y-, 144 S .E . 797, _____S . C.

1 / 49



The statute falls within these requirements

As th e  U nited S ta tes  Supreme C ourt noted in  W inters v ,

Hew York, 333 0.S. 507, 509-510, 515 (1948)*

*A s ta tu te  so  vague and in d e f in i t e ,  in  fo r a  and 
as in te rp re te d , * * * [as t o  f a i l )  go  g iv e  f a i r  
n o t ic e  o f  what a cta  w i l l  b e  punished, • * * 
v io la t e s  an a c cu s e d 's  r ig h ts  under p roced u ra l due 
p ro c e s s  * * * .  [A p ena l s ta tu te  must s e t  up] 
a s ce r ta in a b le  standards o f  g u i l t .  (So th a t ]  men 
o f  common in t e l l ig e n c e  * * * [are  n o t] req u ired  
t o  guess a t  * * * [ i t s ]  m ean ing,• e i t h e r  as  t o  
person s w ith in  th e  scop e  o f  the a c t  o r  a s  t o  
a p p lic a b le  t e s t s  t o  a s c e r ta in  g u i l t .

P e t it io n e r  th e r e fo r e  f a i l s  on t h i s  i s s u e .

T h is  Court d oes c o t  h ere  p ass o s  th e  Stay o f  E xecution ,

o r  th e  l i f t i n g  of same, as i t  was issu ed  by  a h igh er c o u r t .  

Counsel may a pp ly  t o  th a t c o u r t  f o r  fu r th e r  rev iew  o f  th a t a c t io n .

The Amended P e t it io n  i s  d en ied  in  t o t o .

P e t it io n e r  i s  adv ised  o f  h is  r ig h t  t o  appeal as p rov id ed

by  Buie 3 7 (a ) (b ) .  Rules o f  C rim inal Procedure, which reads t

An appeal t o  to o  Supreme Court when a u th orized  by 
s ta tu te  s h a l l  b e  taken in  th e  manner and w ith in  th e  
tim e p re s cr ib e d  by i t s  r u le s .

A  copy  o f  t h i s  Order s h a l l  b e  served  on P e t it io n e r  b y  th e

U nited S ta tes  Marshal f o r  th e  (E astern ) D i s t r i c t  o f  South C a ro lin a .

Ai® XT  IS  SO ORDERED.,

ROBERT JY,. HEMPHILL
ROBERT W. HEKPHXU, 

U nited S ta tes  D is t r i c t  Judge

Columbia,. South C aro lin a

January 3 , 1966..

XHUE COPT 
T e s t ; 
miller C. FCC. FOSTER, JR- clERK

50



XM M  UNIT*© «TAXM SXSTXICT OOOTT
ton t m  d i s t r i c t  or s o u t h  c a b o l i n a

COLUMBIA DIVISION

tLOUIS MOOSB8,
Petitioner,

t
V*.

t
STATS or SOUTH CAROLINA and 
ELLIS C. MacDOUGALL, Director,:
South Carolina State Board of 
Corrections, j

Respondents. s

MOTION rOS REHEARING
Petitioner moves the Court for a rehearing on his Amended 

Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus filed May 12, 1965, restricted 

to the issue of deprivation of constitutional right alleged 

under paragraph 13(b) of the Amended Petition. As grounds for 
the motion, petitioner shows:

1. In the Amended Petition, several claims of deprivation of 

constitutional rights were urged among them the claim that 

Section 16-72, Code of Laws of South Carolina for 1962 denied 

him equal protection of the laws and due process of law in 

violation of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the 

United States in that his sentence of death was imposed pur­

suant to a long standing practice and custom of sentencing 

Negro men charged with raping white women to death in a manner 

not done when a white man was charged with rape of a Negro or

CIVIL ACTION 
MO. AC-15*3

51



Whit* woman or * Megro man charged with rap# of a 8 * 9 7 0 woman. 
After remand by the o.a. Court of Appeal* for tha Powrth Circuit 
pursuant to an appeal taken from tho original denial of 
petitioner's Awesdad Petition, this court scheduled a hearing 
on the leanest raised in the intended Petition including the 
aforesaid issue of the unequal application of tha death penalty 
to negroes charged with rape of white women.
2. At the hearing of August 18. 1965. petitioner informed the 
court that he did not desire to take additional evidence on the 

other constitutional issues raised in his Amended Petition but 
did attempt to make an evidentiary showing in support of the 
allegation of paragraph 13(b). Petitioner, through his counsel, 

inferred the court that son# 355 schedules entitled “Capital 
Punishment Survey** (a blank copy of which was appended to this 
court's order of January 3, 1966 denying the Amended Petition) 
had been completed for various counties in the State of South 
Carolina And that the data contained in these schedules had 
been compiled by student researchers fro® various source* in 
the counties concerned and reflected facts, surrounding circum­
stances and disposition of rape cases in the subject counties 
over a 2 0 year period. The court was informed that the 
completed schedules were the basis for further scientific 
analysis which, when completed, would likely be of probative 
value in sustaining the contention mad* in paragraph 13(b). 
the court was also informed that the research reflected by the 
schedules had just been completed end hence there had not been 
time, prior to the hearing, to submit them to the detailed 
analysis contemplated. Petitloiter nevertheless offered to go 
forward with proof in support of the allegation of paragraph 
13(b) by subpoenaing the clerks of the courts in the counties 
from which the data was gathered for the purpose of proving

- 2 - 52



th* facts noted is th# schedules
the ©f farad

indicated in this court's opinion of Ossuary 3, 1966 denying 
tlw *»st»d#d Petition) but ordered fchs 355 schedules »nl«i by 
tho Clark of th* court thus preventing petitioner from having 
tbs benefit of tbs scientific analysis of those schedule* and

could b* used la support of tbs allegation. th* schedules, 
sine* th* hugoat IS, 1965 hearing, have been retained by th* 
court and petitioner has been denied access to then.
3. Subsequent to th* August IS, 1965 hearing, petitioner 
wooed this court fear leave to withdraw these schedules which 
th# court had ordered touched as petitioner** Exhibit 1, for 
the purpose of tasking photostatic copies of then so that th# 
analysis could proceed. A hearing was held on that notion
on October 4, 1965 but to data and notwithstanding this court's 
decision of January 3, 1966 denying the Amended Petition, the 
court has not ruled on th# action and has net released the 
schedule* to petitioner's counsel* hence, in view of the 
court's rulings at the August 18th hearing, petitioner's 
evidentiary posture with respect to proving this very crucial 
allegation has regained unchanged.

4. Petitioner avers that with these schedule# in hand he would 

be able to submit thee to the requisite analysis and subsequently 
rak* the kind of evidentiary demonstration contemplated which 
could possibly alter th* court's view respecting th* competency 
of proof on this very important issue, bet at th* very least, 
would give the court th* benefit of a full presentation on this 
issue. Attached to this motion as an exhibit is th* affidavit
of Professor Marvin 6. Wolfgang of the University of Pennsylvania, 
who will direct th* analysis to be perforated on this data, which 
aurearire# th# aaethod# used in conducting th# research, and

of a report, of that analysis which

-  3 - 53



state* hi* opinion that £h* data contained la th* schedules 
can provide reliable conclusion* regarding the influence of 
the factor of race in imposing the death sentence in South 
Carolina provided sufficient time is percdtted for completion 
Of the analysis. In addition, there la already on file with 
the court, an affidavit of Attorney Frank HefCron which was 
appended to th* sotion to withdraw the schedules, which con­

tains a comprehensive statement regarding th* research project 
pursuant to which petitioner hopes to substantiate his dat a  

under paragraph 13(h) and which succinctly states th* dimensions 
of that elate. Petitioner asks the court to consider that 
affidavit as another exhibit to this action for rehearing.
«Mtr* is attached to this motion as a third exhibit, a document 
styled 'fr*lie,inary Analysis of Sap* and Capital Puniataenfc 
in the State ©f Louisiana, 1945-65* which analyses, in a pre­
liminary way, the survey results from the State of Louisiana.
This exhibit was prepared under the direction of Dr. Wolfgang 
whose affidavit is appended hereto. It informs the court of 
the method of analysing the data and is an example of the 
technique that will probably be applied to the South Carolina 
schedules if they are released to petitioner's counsel in accord­
ance with hi* previous notion repeated h*r*tn.

S. At th* August 18, I M S  bearing, non* of the esterials Which 
have been appended to this notion as exhibits war* available 

and th* court understandably, was not informed as completely 
as this motion and it* exhibit* attempts to inform it, of th* 
relationship between the impounded schedules and the elate of 
discriminatory sentencing contained in paragraph 13(b). As is 
readily apparent from the preliminary analysis of the Louisiana 
survey, a definite relationship can be shown and it is highly 
probable that proof will he developed to support petitioner's 
elate. A full presentation on this issue, after analysis of

- 4 - 54



*© cake m  informed decision on this claim and to protect 
petitioner's constitutional rights. Indeed, the demode 
Of the dee process clause of tho 14th Aanadaemt require
ttost this opportunity ho afforded.

4» fttitiawr, of course, ia presenting tho svidmcc, recognises 
tlsat there m y  ho objection* of various hinds going to its 

admissibility sad petitioner fully intends - if given tbo 

opportunity - to car* say valid objections by clearly competent 
proof. Objections to adsissibility can be cared and whan cured, 
this court will have the opportunity to oonaider what might 
should be accorded the evidence* in any event, it is clear that 
the desiancs of justice require that where a Ban’s life hangs 
in the balance, this important constitutional issue be fully 
ventilated of record.

mMOWtORM, petitioner praysi

1. that this court immediately grant his previous sot ion
to withdraw the 3^schedules entitled -Capital Punishment Survey.*

2. That sufficient time be accorded hie to have this data 
analyzed and a report completed.

3. That after such analysis and report, petitioner be 
accorded an opportunity for a full and complete rehearing of 
this issue of deprivation of constitutional right raised under 
paragraph 13(b) of the Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus.

aespectfnlly submitted,

itotthew 'ji. Perry 
1107^ Washington Street 
Columbia. South Carolina
T. Henderson Moore 
3£ Spring Street 
Charleston, South Carolina
Benjamin {,. cook, Jr.42 Morris stmt 
Charleston, south Carolina

Anthony Amsterdac Jack Greenberg
school of haw Harm® C. Beaker
University of Pennsylvania 1® Columbus Circle 55



PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF RAPE AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT 
IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA 

19^5-1965

A. Nature of this report.

This report contains a preliminary analysis of data obtained in a 
study designed to determine the effect of racial factors upon capital sen­
tencing for rape in the State of Louisiana. The preliminary analysis is
neither exhaustive nor conclusive. Its findings, presented below r-are ten----
tative and are based upon an exploratory rather than an intensive investi­
gation of the available data. Any attempt to interpret the results must 
therefore be executed with caution. Subject to this qualification, the pre­
liminary analysis very strongly suggests that racial discrimination is oper­
ative in the imposition of the death penalty for rape in Louisiana.

B. The Data.

The data upon which this analysis is based were obtained frcm sched­
ules completed for 125 cases of conviction for rape. These 125 cases con­
stitute every case of conviction for rape which appears in the state court 
records of 21 Louisiana parishes from January 1, 19̂ -5 through August, 1965.
The included parishes are a stratified random sample of Louisiana parishes, 
geographically dispersed throughout the State and representative of the State 
in urban-rural and white-Negro population ratios. By i960 census figures, 
they contained more than 65% of the total population of Louisiana. It may 
therefore be said that the 125 cases available for statistical analysis are 
validly representative of the larger total pool of all cases of conviction 
for rape that occurred in the State during the twenty-year period.

C. Method of analysis.

The null hypothesis to be tested is: Among Negro and white offend­
ers convicted for rape by the State of Louisiana there are no significant 
differences in the proportions sentenced to death as compared with life im­
prisonment.* In order to determine whether the frequencies that have been

* Of the 125 sample cases, 116 resulted in sentences of life imprisonment 
or death. In two cases, one involving a white defendant and victim, the 
other a Negro defendant and victim, the sentence was unknown. Seven 
cases resulted in sentences of imprisonment for a term of years (ranging 
from 1-1/2 to 7 years): In three of these the defendant was Negro and
the victim's race unknown; in one, the defendant was white and the vic­
tim's race unknown; in one the races of both defendant and victim were 
unknown; one involved a white defendant and victim; one, a Negro defend­
ant and victim. Because of the paucity of cases where sentence was less 
than life imprisonment, all such cases were excluded from analyses in­
volving sentence disposition as a variable or constant factor.

56



2

empirically obtained in the 125 sample cases differ significantly from those 
which would be expected under the theoretical assumption of the null hypo­
thesis, the data from the 125 cases have been exposed to chi-square analysis.
On the assumption that there are no differential sentencing practices for 
Negroes and whites, the proportions of Negro and white rape defendants re­
ceiving similar sentences should be equal. Thus, employing the marginal totals 
for each empirically obtained table, a set of frequencies may be obtained 
that would be expected, given these totals, in the absence of racial differ­
ences in sentencing. In other words, the number of convicted defendants sen­
tenced to death (or to life imprisonment) who would be expected to be Negroes 
(or whites) may be determined, and this figure may be compared with the num­
ber actually observed. The null hypothesis will be rejected whenever the 
difference is quite large between the expected and the actual number of Ne­
groes sentenced to death, and whenever the differences are also large between 
the expected and actual numbers in each other cell (i.e., Negroes sentenced 
to life, whites sentenced to death, whites sentenced to life). By this 
method, spurious associations among the variables -- race and sentencing 
disposition -- due to chance operation are eliminated. Pursuant to accepted 
statistical procedure, the probability level (P value) of less than .05 has 
been selected as the test of significant association: that is, an association 
among variables (race and sentence) is accepted as real (significant) only 
if it could have occurred by chance fewer than five times out of one hundred.
If the association of the characteristic "Negro" with the disposition "death" 
is statistically significant at a level of probability less than .05, it may 
be concluded that race is operating as a selective factor to differentiate 
those defendants who were sentenced to death rather than life imprisonment.
If the association is not statistically significant at the level of P <(_ .05, 
it may be concluded that any observed racial differential in sentencing dis­
position is not so substantially greater than might occur by chance as to 
enable the ascription of a selective influence to the racial factor.

Inspection of Table I reveals that although 22 Negroes were sen­
tenced to death for rape, not one white defendant convicted for rape re­
ceived this disposition. Inspection of Table II discloses that of the 22 
cases in which Negroes were sentenced to death, 21 involved a white victim 
and the race of the victim was unknown in one case. No case involving a 
white defendant, irrespective of the race of the victim, and no case of a 
Negro defendant whose victim was also Negro, resulted in the sentence of 
death. Both of these tables are significant at the P .05 level. Indeed, 
both are significant at the level P .001. This means that the associa­
tion between being a Negro and receiving the death sentence, and the asso- • 
ciation between being a Negro convicted for rape of a white victim and re­
ceiving the death sentence, as observed in the Louisiana data, could have 
occurred merely by chance in fewer than one time out of one thousand. The 
null hypothesis is therefore rejected and the conclusion sustained that 
Negroes, in comparison with whites, are disproportionately sentenced to death 
for rape in the State of Louisiana.

5?



This conclusion alone, of course, does not imply racial discrimina­
tion in capital sentencing. It may he contended that, although Negro de­
fendants are disproportionately sentenced to death for rape, ths disproportion 
is not the result of race itself, but is the result of one or more other 
factors, which characterize the Negro defendant but which are systematically 
absent among white defendants. These factors, not race, may be determining 
sentencing disposition; and Negroes may be receiving death sentences with 
disproportionate frequency only because these factors are disproportionately 
frequent in the case of Negro defendants. For example, Negro rape defend­
ants as a group may employ greater violence or do greater physical harm to 
their victims than do white rape defendants; they may more frequently rape 
previously chaste victims; they may more frequently be represented at their 
trials by appointed rather than retained counsel.

In order to determine whether these or any other variables likely 
to influence the choice of a capital sentence for rape do in fact account for 
the racial disproportion in imposition of the death penalty observed in 
Louisiana, statistical analysis was undertaken of the association between 
such variables and race, and in some cases between such variables and sen­
tencing disposition. The analysis was performed with respect to all var­
iables concerning which the Louisiana data provided sufficient information to 
support computation. The chi-square technique described above was employed 
to test the significance of observed associations.

A standard method of proceeding was used for all variables. First, 
the association between the variable and race was tested. If this was not 
significant at the P ■'C .05 level -- that is, if the particular variable did 
not appear disproportionately frequently to characterize the group of Negro 
defendants as contrasted with the group of white defendants -- it was con­
cluded that the variable could not therefore account for the observed racial 
disproportion in capital sentencing, and no further statistical analyses of 
the variable were required. In such cases, the finding that the variable 
was not concomitant with race ruled it out as a possible nonracial explana­
tion of Louisiana's disproportionately frequent imposition of the death pen­
alty on Negroes.

If the association between the variable and race proved significant 
at the P .05 level, three further computations were performed. The total 
population of convicts was split into two groups, one comprising all those 
cases characterized by the presence of the variable, the other comprising 
all those cases characterized by its absence. Within each group independ­
ently the association between race and the death penalty was tested in order 
to determine whether racially disproportionate capital sentencing persisted 
despite control (i.e., holding constant) of the variable in question. In 
addition, for the total population of defendants, the association between 
the variable and the death penalty was exposed to the chi-square test. If 
racially disproportionate sentencing survived control of the variable, or 
if the variable was not significantly associated with capital sentencing for

58



the total population, it was concluded that the variable could not account for 
the observed disproportion of capital sentencing on racial lines for the 
total population. In such cases, either the variable was not exerting a se­
lective influence on sentencing disposition (i.e., where there was no sig­
nificant association between the variable and death) or such selective in­
fluence as it was exerting failed to explain Louisiana's racially dispro­
portionate imposition of the death penalty (i.e., where the variable was sig­
nificantly associated with death but where racially disproportionate capital 
sentencing survived its control).

Where these three statistical operations failed to exclude the 
possibility that the influence of a particular variable might explain 
Louisiana's disproportionate sentencing of Negroes to death, but where sig­
nificant associations existed between race and the variable, or the variable 
and sentence, more refined examination was pursued. If the variable were 
exerting an effect which accounted for the racial disproportion, one would 
expect that that effect would appear in cases of Negroes convicted of raping 
white victims, as well as in other sorts of cases. Unless the variable ap­
peared to affect sentencing disposition in cases of Negroes raping whites, 
it could not be said to account for the observed disproportion of capital 
sentences imposed on these Negroes. The association between the variable 
and death was therefore subjected to chi-square analysis for the subpopula­
tion comprised of all cases of Negroes who were convicted of raping white 
victims. If that association proved significant, it was tested also for the 
subpopulation of all cases of white rape defendants, in order to determine 
whether the variable was exerting the same influence among white as well as 
among Negro defendants. As it happened, this last analysis could never be 
statistically performed, because no white rape convict had ever been sen­
tenced to death in Louisiana during the twenty-year study period. Thus the 
question was asked whether the variable could account for the observed dif­
ferential frequency of capital sentencing in cases of intra-racial rape con­
victions (i.e., rape of whites by whites, rape of Negroes by Negroes) and 
inter-racial rape convictions (i.e., rape of whites by Negroes).** The ques­
tion was answered by subjecting to chi-square analysis the subpopulation 
comprised of all cases characterized by the presence of the variable, in 
order to determine whether the association between inter-racial rape and the 
death penalty remained significant. Where this association proved signifi­
cant, it was necessary to conclude that notwithstanding the influence of the 
variable upon sentencing disposition, racial factors emerged as the over­
riding determinant tending to a disposition of death. In other words, although 
the variable affected sentencing, in the sense that capital punishment was 
not decreed in its absence, racial considerations were dispositive of the 
decision whether on not bo impose the death penalty when the variable was 
present.

** Of the 125 cases examined, none were known to involve rape of a Negro 
victim by a white defendant. There were several in which the defendant 
was white and race of the victim was unknown.

59



D. Findings.
1. As indicated previously, Negro rape defendants are disporpor- 

tionately more often sentenced to death in Louisiana as compared -with white 
rape defendants. (Table l) Negroes convicted of raping white victims are 
disproportionately sentenced to death as compared with all other rape de­
fendants. (Table II) No sentence of death was imposed in Louisiana during 
twenty years except upon a Negro convicted of raping a white victim. (Table 
II)

2. The following variables are not significantly associated with 
the race of the defendant, hence cannot account for the racial dispropor­
tion in capital sentencing: previous record of the defendant (Table VIl), 
seriousness of injury to the victim (Table XXVI), victim's prior reputation 
for chastity (Table XVI), place of the offense (indoors-outdoors)(Table VIII), 
type of entry by the defendant into the place of the offense (unauthorized- 
authorized) (Table IX), type of plea (Table XV) , duration of trial (Table XXl). 
Only six variables are significantly associated with race of the defendant: 
age of the defendant (Table XXII), marital status of the defendant (Table 
III), type of counsel at trial (appointed-retained) (Table XVII), display of
a weapon by the defendant (Table X), commission of a contemporaneous offense 
by the defendant (Table XXXV), type of prior relations between the defend­
ant and the victim (strangers-not strangers)(Table XXVII).

3. As there is no significant relationship between sentence dis­
position and age of the defendant (Table XXV), marital status of the defend­
ant (Table Vi) or type of counsel at trial (Table XX), these factors cannot 
account for the racial differential in sentencing.

U. Among Negro defendants convicted of raping white victims, dis­
play of a weapon is not significantly associated with capital sentencing. 
(Table XIV) Nor, in the same group, is commission of a contemporaneous of­
fense by the defendant significantly associated with capital sentencing.
(Table XXXIX) *** Therefore, neither display of a weapon nor commission of 
contemporaneous offenses appears to account for the observed disproportion­
ate capital sentencing of Negro defendants convicted of raping white victims.

5. Convicted rape defendants who committed other offenses con­
temporaneously with the rape, and who were strangers to their victims at the 
time of the rape, were disproportionately sentenced to death. (Tables XXX, 
XXXVIII) More Negro defendants than whites committed contemporaneous of­
fenses (Table XXXV) and were strangers to their victims (Table XXVII). But 
among all defendants who committed contemporaneous offenses, Negro defendants 
who raped white victims were significantly more frequently sentenced to death

* * * Because this association, although not significant at the P <_ .05
level, approached significance, the further statistical analyses reported 
in para. 5 infra were undertaken with the variable contemporaneous of- 
fenses.

60



than were other defendants (Table XLl); and among defendants who were strangers 
to their victims, the same racial disproportion in capital sentencing appears 
(Table XXXIII). Thus, although defendants are relatively infrequently sen­
tenced to death unless they commit contemporaneous offenses, and although they 
are never sentenced to death unless they are strangers to their victims, not 
all defendants who commit contemporaneous offenses or who are strangers to 
their victims are sentenced to death. In such cases* as in others, only Negro 
defendants who rape white victims are sentenced to death. (Tables XXXIV,

6. On the basis of the foregoing findings, it appears that Negro 
defendants who rape white—victims have been disproportionately sentenced to 
death, by reason of their race, during the years 1945-1965 in the State of 
Louisiana, No available factor other than race satisfactorily accounts for 
the disproportion. Indeed, the death penalty was never observed except when 
the rape victim was white and the defendant was Negro.

61



PRE L I M I N A R Y  ANALYSIS, L O U I S I A N A  DA T A

TABLES I-XLII

Note:

Because information concerning sane of 
the variables examined in the following tables 
was unknown in one or more of the 125 cases ex­
amined, the total number of cases considered 
(N) varies frcm table to table.

In several tables, the number of cases 
available is too small for proper analysis by 
means of the chi-square technique. Time limita­
tions to date have prevented further and more 
refined techniques of analysis, but at a later 
date Fisher's exact test will be employed where 
the total number in any table is small and where 
the expected frequency in any cell of a table is 
less than five. The chi-squares for these tables 
have been used only as an approximation of the 
direction of probable association. In each such 
case, the chi-square reported for the table has 
been marked with an asterisk.

Statistical analysis was not applied to 
Tables XXIX and XL because of the zero frequen­
cies in marginal totals. These tables have been 
marked with a double asterisk following the 
symbol.

62



T A B L E  I; RACE B Y  T Y P E  OF SENTENCE

Death Life Total
1

Negro 22 65 87

»
j White
I 0 29 29

Total 22 94 116

X2= 27.5 
P  /L . 0 0 1

TABLE II: COMBINATIONS OF RACE OF VICTIM AND 
OFFENDER BY TYPE OF SENTENCE

Death Life Total

jiNegro Of­
fender & 
White Victim

21 30 51

White Off. & 
White Victim 
Negro Off. & 
Negro Victim

0
.

48 48

Total 21 . | 78 99

X 2 = 25.2
P L  .001

63



T A B L E  III; R A C E  B Y  MARITAL STATUS OF D E F E N D A N T

Married Not
Married

Total

i

Negro 22 37 59

.White 11 6 17

Total 33 43 76

X 2 - 4.0 
P 4. .05

TABLE IV: RACE BY SENTENCE FOR ALL MARRIED 
DEFENDANTS

Death Life Total

Negro 6 18 24

White 0 10 10

Total 6 28 34

X 2 = 5.5
P £  .02

64



TABLE V: RACE BY SENTENCE FOR ALL UNMARRIED 
DEFENDANTS

Death Life Total |
1

Negro 9 27 36

White 0 6 6

Total 9 33 42

X2= 1.9 
P C  -20

TABLE VI: MARITAL STATUS BY TYPE OF SENTENCE

Death Life Total

Married 6 27 33

Not
Married 9 33

j
Total 15 60 75

X2= .1
P ^. 8 0

65



T A B L E  VII: RACE B Y  PREVIOUS RECORD

Record No
Record

Total

11
! Negro 51 15 66

1
White> 17 4 21

Total 68 19 87

x2: .130
p C  -80

TABLE VIII: RACE BY PLACE OF OFFENSE

Indoors Outdoors Total

Negro
___ ___  -.- -

46 45 91

White
;

14 11 25

Total 60 56 116

X2= .20
P £  .70

6 6



T A B L E  IX: R A C E  B Y  TYPE OF E N T R Y

u n a u t h o r iz e d
E n try

A u t h o r i z e d
E n try

j Total

i

Negro
.....

34 55 j 89

f

• White
\

6 21

i

| 27

Total 40 76 116

TABLE X: RACE BY DISPLAY 3F WEAPON

Weapon No
Weapon

Total

Negro /T 47 25 72
.

White 4
........ - .

19 23

Total 51
1 ' 1

44 95

X 2- 2.3 
P t  .20

X 2- 15.9
P L  .001

6 ?



T A B L E  X I : RA C E  B Y  SENTE N C E  A M O N G  D E F E N D A N T S
W I T H  WEAPONS

D eath Life Total
i
i
tI Negro 17 27 44

!

White 0 4 4

Total 17 31 48

TABLE XII: RACE BY SENTENCE AMONG DEFENDANTS 
WITHOUT WEAPONS

Death Life Total

Negroes 2 23 25

White 0 15 15

Total 2 38 40

X2= 2.3 
P C  .20

*

2 *  X2= 1.1
.50

6 8



T A B L E  XIII: D I S P L A Y  OF WEAPON* B Y  SENTENCE

Death Life Total

j Weapon 18 33 51

No Weapon[ ' 2 38 40

Total 20 71 91

X2- 12.0 
P £  .01

TABLE XIV: DISPLAY OF WEAPON BY SENTENCE AMONG 
NEGRO DEFENDANTS WITH WHITE VICTIMS

Death Life
... ._ . ......

Total

"Weapon 17 17 34

j No Weapon 2 7 9

Total 19 24 43

X 2 = 2 . 3 ^
P 4 - 2 5

69



T A B L E  XV: RACE B Y  T Y P E  OF PL E A

Guilty Not Guilty
"

Total
ii
!Negro 44 48

......

"

92
i
;
White 15 16 31

Total 59 64 123

X2= 0 
P £1.00

TABLE XVI: RACE BY VICTIM'S REPUTATION FOR 
CHASTITY

Yes No Total

Negro 13 4 17

White 11
1 12

Total
(.
24 5 29

X 2 = 1.2
P £  .30

it

70



T A B L E  XVII: RAC E  B Y  T Y P E  OF COUNSEL

Appointee} Retained Total
1

Negro 33 6 39

i
White 4 8 12

Total 37 14 51

X2= 12.1*
P L  .001

TABLE XVIII: RACE BY SENTENCE AMONG DEFENDANTS 
WITH APPOINTED COUNSEL

Death Life Total

Negro 15 17 32

White
«*
0 4

..
4

i'Total
L_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

15 21 36
T

-X2 “ 3.3
P £  .10

A

71



T A B L E  XIX: RACE B Y  SENTENCE A M O N G  D E F E N D A N T S
W I T H  RETAINED C O UNSEL

! ..

—

Death Life Total
i

Negro
...... ..... 3

2 5

i
White 0 7 7

Total 3 9 12

X2= 5.4* 
P £  .025

TABLE XX: TYPE OF COUNSEL BY TYPE OF SENTENCE

Death Life Total

Retained
Counsel

3 9 12

(Appointed 
|Counsel

15 21 36

Total 18 30 48

X 2 - 1.1
P L  .50

72



T A B L E  XXI: RACE BY T R I A L  TIM E

Two days 
or less

More than 
two days

Total

Negro 26 17
-....- —

43

White 9 5 14

Total 35 22 57

X2= .10 
P L  .90

TABLE XXII.: RACE BY AGE OF DEFENDANT

13 - 25 26 and 
above

Total

Negro 56 30 86

•White 12 17 29

T o t a l 68 47 115

X 2 = 5.0
P 4, .05

73



T A B L E  XXIII: R A C E  BY  SENTENCE A M O N G  DEFEN D A N T S
13-25 YEARS

j
Death Life Total

i
i
1 Negro
} .......................

12 41
........- .....

53

1
White1 0 11 11

Total 12 52 64

X - 3.1 
P £  .10

*

TABLE XXIV: RACE BY SENTENCE AMONG DEFENDANTS 
26 YEARS AND ABOVE

Death Life Total

Negro 5 23 28

White 0 15

'

15

Total 5 38 43

X2= 2.9*
p 4. .10

7 4



T A B L E  XXV: A G E  BY  T Y P E  OF SENTENCE

II

Death Life 1 Total
i1

i1
1 3 - 2 5

............

12 51 j 63

26 and 
above

5 38
1
| 43

Total 17 89 106

x2- 1.0* 
P £  .50

TABLE XXVI: RACE BY SERIOUSNESS SCORE*

0
1 - 4

7 - 2 6
... 1

Total

Negro 10

* .

24

.....

12 46

j
White

5 i 4 j 4
..

13

Total 15
1

28 16 59

X2= 2 . 2 *
P 4.50

# The method of rating seriousness of injury to the victim described in SELLIN & 
WOLFGANG, THE MEASUREMENT OF DELINQUENCY (1964) was employed.

75



T A B L E  XXVII: RACE B Y  TYPE OF P R I O R  RELATIONS
B E TWEEN D E F E N D A N T  A N D  V I C T I M

Strangers Not
Strangers

—

Total
11
j Negro1i

46 20 66

White 9
18

27

Total 55 38
_________________

93

X2= 10.6
P .01

TABLE XXVIII: RACE BY SENTENCE AMONG STRANGERS

Death Life Total
i

Negro 17 29 46

White
1

0
..

7 7

Total 17 36 53

o ‘Sr X2= 3.7
P £  .10

76



T A B L E  XXIX: RAC E  B Y  SENTENCE A M O N G  D E F E N D A N T S
N O T  STRANGERS

! .
D eath Life Total

i
i
1 Negro'
j .

0 20 20

1
White
.... ........

0 17 17

Total 0 37 37

X2

TABLE XXX: TYPE OF PRIOR RELATIONS BETWEEN DEFENDANT
AND VICTIM BY TYPE OF SENTENCE

Death Life | Total

Stranger 17 37 54

"Not
Stranger

0 47 47

Total 17 84 101

X2- 17.7 
P- ^  .01

77



T A B L E  XXXI: T Y P E  OF P RIOR R E L ATIONS B Y  SENT E N C E
A M O N G  N E G R O  D E F E N D A N T S  W I T H  W H I T E  VICTIMS

Death Life Total
i
j Stranger

|
17 18 35

' Not 
Stranger

0 6 6

Total 17 24 41

X2= 5.1 
P £  .05

TABLE XXXII: TYPE OF PRIOR RELATIONS BY SENTENCE 
AMONG WHITE DEFENDANTS

Death Life- Total

Stranger 0 7 7

Not
Stranger

0 17 17

Total 0 24 24

y^2 **

78



TABLE XXXIII: RACE OF 
AMONG Sr

DEFENDANT AND 
:RANGERS

VICTIM BY SENTENCE

;i

i
Deatn

ji
J

1;
s Total|

11) 
f; 
1
|?i

1
iSame Race •'

! i
0 j 16

' i

«!

1 16
1
1

■j
Different j 
Race \

i

17 ] 18
‘j
t

J 35
\,
is

l

I•i

i

T o t a l 17

l
\
| 3 4 j 51

i

i1 i i s1' ... a

X2- 11.6 
P ^ .001

TABLE XXXIV: RACE C? DEFENDANT AND VICTIM BY SENTENCE
AMONG STRANGERS AND DEFENDANTS NOT STRANGERS

i
S

STRANGER i no t
| STRANGER

1 TOTAL| •
( Death!Life Death

i , 1 Life ! • «
jWhite Of­
fender & 
White Victim

0
11| 6
'

!o
! 12

1 ! 
! 18 ■ j 
1 1

fNegro Of- 
jjfender & 
jNegro Victim

0 :io 0 ii i i 
21 is! ij

?Negro Of- 
. -fender &

Victim
j

17 u 0 6 41 1
.

Total 17

.

34 0 29 80

79



T A B L E  XXXV: RACE B Y  C O N T E M P O R A N E O U S  O F FENSE

Offense No Offense Total

11
! Negroj 33 4? 80

White 4 22 26

Total 37 69 106

X2= 5.8
P 4 . 0 2

TABLE XXXVI: RACE BY SENTENCE AMONG DEFENDANTS WHO 
COMMITTED A CONTEMPORANEOUS OFFENSE

Death Life i Total

Negro 14 19 33

White
. ........

, 0
\ 4

Total 14 23 37
I I

X 2 - 2 . 7 *  
P / .10

80



T A B L E  X X X V I I : RACE B Y  S E N T E N C E  A M O N G  D E F E N D A N T S  W H O
COMMITTED N O  C O NTEMPORANEOUS OFFENSE

1 i 
| ]
J | D eath  L i f e
\ 1 i

J1

T o t a l  !

s
I I I )  ;  1 J  ! j  
]  Negro ij 5 37 j 42 |

f  "  i  ■: '  l
5 •'

1 :
1 White !  0 ’  19

l l

1
19

| Total 
1 .

1 1 
| 5 \ 56 1

6 !  j 
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  1

TABLE XXXVII I: CONTEMPORANEOUS OFFENSE BY TYPE 
OF SENTENCE

f
1

i|. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

; i s 
1Death {  LifeS
;

Total
|

!
1 '
8 Offense
il

i
1 4  !  2 3

I1

fft
37 !

i
\<
s
| No Offense
!

i (  j
l  i6 j  56 | 62 I
I | I

1 ! Total |
)li - . . . -  _ _  '

j  i
20 79 99

X2 = 1 1 .3  
P .0 1



T ABLE XXXIX: C O N T E M PORANEOUS O FFENSE BY  S E N T E N C E  A M O N G
N E G R O  DEFEN D A N T S  W I T H  W H I T E  VI C T I M S

I 5 \

I i| Death { Life
!i '•r *

!
1

Total
1

S
|OffenseS

; I

14 | 12i;

1
i26

|No Offense
._______

I
6 j 15

jl

!

-  i5

|Total
|

20 27 47

X2= 3T0 
P / .10

TABLE XL: CONTEMPORANEOUS OFFENSE BY SENTENCE AMONG 
WHITE DEFENDANTS

I j(i ■!;j }•5 ji Death
s

Life
.

i
i

Total

j Offense 0
4

;
4 1I ‘ 1 " .... .

No Offense
°

19

.... . !
19 j}

Total 0
... . 

23
.

23

X2 **

82



TABLE XLI: RACE OF DEFENDANT AND VICTIM BY SENTENCE AMONG
DEFENDANTS WHO COMMITTED A CONTEMPORANEOUS OFFENSE

l  I
1 !■1 f

| i Death jj Life
1 . » 11 . . . . . . .  _  -

i
Total |

!
J <  i jj l  i 
l ' P,
5 Same Race 5 0 s 12

■  i. . . . . . ' . . i
1  1 t] Different j 14 ■, 12 
fRace ?
1 ! ?

i26

1
Total | 14 \ 24

I i i

i
38

X2= 10.1 
P / .01

TABLE XLII: RACE OF DEFENDANT AND VICTIM BY SENTENCE 
AMONG DEFENDANTS WHO DID AND DID NOT 
COMMIT A CONTEMPORANEOUS OFFENSE

I OFFENSE NO OFFENSE TOTAL

...1
ii 5 ? j 
1 . ’iDeathfLife ‘/DeathS i t Life

|White Of­
fender &
, White Victiii»

■
■ i4 { 0
j

19 !23 |
|, I' 1̂1 ■' 1 II 1
■■Negro Of­
fender & 
iNegro Victir.

0
'

)

8 ! 0
j

19 27

|Negro Of­
fender & 
jWhite Victir

•14 12
’

6 15 46

T o t a l 14 24 6 53 97

83



The 21 Sample Parishes'- in Louisiana used for this Study

Caddo 

Calcasieu 

Concordia 

East Baton Rouge 

Evangeline 

Franklin 

• Iberia 

Jefferson 

Lafourche 

Lincoln 

Orleans 

Ouachita 

Rapides 

Red River

Richland —

St. John the Baptist

St. Landry

St. Martin

Tangipahoa

Webster

West Feliciana

S3  a



00

\ 10 11 12

t̂rinnhiU
p,ain Dea"n£Yoc0.«̂f

,
IrtHigWandsol Bossier Gty

A  North ® X®  prevepcr̂^
Shreveport

A R E . ----
O ScKitfa I I  f

r/Oak O'ovehjke jkf
~ /  Providenc
J ' J

u ,c c r  / Providence WEST /  .  *  ■ *
iCARROLL' • *

e a s t  ,  j D
CARROLL ^  * 

fY  MADISON c v >  

Tallulah-^-

y-O' >J
t e n s a s ^ J L , . ^

N ewe I! ton0

I  A Leesv"
•  VERNON 5  3

Boyce cr~ > ';;y-;; /ier.anfaiL'Vexindr:»tw° *- ■ ' ? a‘
t! RAPIpES

W ater- *
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13

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LINCOLN_Cour>fy Names

PO P U LA T IO N  KEY  

^  Over 100.000 
50,000 to 100,000 

©  25,000 to 50,000 
€> 20,000 to 25,000 

© 10,000 to 20,000 
® 5,000 fo 10,000 
°  1,000 fo 5,000 

o Under 1,000

CLEARTYPE
TR*OC»»*Rk RCC U iC A f .o f f .

COUNTY. TOWN
LOUISIANA

Scale of Miles
0 10 20 30 40 50

MAP NO. 6516
A M E R IC A N  M A R  C O M P A N Y , IN C .

ORIGINATORS 'V r C P \ * r  SOU ru3i.<SME*S

E MAPS % ^ .t W W t » W T  MAPS
-=—«== Mw VOR K ^

SHADED COUNTIES 
USED IN SAMPLE

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FELICIANA

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1 HELENA ^f,ANG!-\ ^Franklinton I
3$  a  T ahoaA . .  . » /
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.pAmita City ■— _______f
Sun0  ^.U; 3?-.

) . . , .  . ;

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Elton V ^ D I A  Grand <*teau0 .< ~ ~



D E S C R I P T I O N  OF A  SAMPLE OF TWEL V E  S O U T H E R N  STATES

The design of this sample is described as a stratified random sample 
design. The universe is comprised of twelve states in the South Atlantic, East 
South Central, and West South Central Census regions of the United States. The 
states excluded in the three regions are Delaware, the District of Columbia and 
West Virginia in the South Atlantic, Kentucky in the East South Central, and 
Oklahoma in the West South Central regions.

Determination of the size of the sample was based on two criteria: 1)
the estimated amount of coverage by the field staff in the prescribed period of 
time, and 2) the need for independent estimates for individual states in the 
universe. It was estimated that 300 counties might be visited by the field staff.
It was recognized, however, that the larger counties would require more time and 
this might be in proportion to the Negro population in the counties. For this 
reason, a total of 300 sample "draws" xjere allocated to the twelve states, approx­
imately proportional to the ratio of Negro population in each state to the 12 - state 
total with some regard to the number of counties in each state. The four states' 
having a Negro population of more than one million were allocated 30 draws per 
state; five states with eight to nine hundred thousand population were allocated 
25 draws; Arkansas and Tennessee were allocated 20 draws; Maryland, with only 24 
counties, was allocated 15 draws.

With this allocation, a sampling rate on the Negro population in each ■ 
state was calculated and applied to a list of the counties' populations. The 
counties were ordered geographically such that a systematic sample would insure 
that each section of the state would be sampled in proportion to the Negro popula­
tion. With this scheme, geographical sub-strata were created. In addition, the 
larger counties would be in the draw more than once; for example, Baltimore City was 
drawn nine times. As a result, the 237.counties selected for the sample represent ,< 
300 work-load units.

Table 1 shows the characteristics of the universe which were used in the 
sample allocation and the same characteristics for the sample counties. Table 2 
contains results of the sample draw and a comparison of the universe and sample 
standard deviations.

TABLE 1
COMPARISON OF UNIVERSE AND SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS

STATE

Negro Population 
1960 Census

Percent Negro 
Population

Number 
of Counties

Percent
in Sampl e

UNIVERSE SAMPLE UNIVERSE SAMPLE UNIVERSE SAMPLE POPULATION COUNTIE
Alabama 980,287 612,623 9 9 67 17 63 25
Arkansas 388,887 276,267 4 4 75 19 71 25
Florida 894,832 695,873 8 11 67 19 78 28 '
Georgia 1,124,834 508,252 11 8 159 25 45 16

'M.ouisiana 1,045,070 ' 693,561 10 11 64 21 66 33
Maryland 526',870 422,751 5 7 24 7 80 29
Mississippi 920,740 482,774 9 7 82 24 52 29
North Carolina 1,156,320 685,956 11 11 100 29 59 29
South Carolina ' 831,962 536,016 8' 8 46 21 64 46
Tennessee 588,936 428,641 6 7 95 11 73 12
Texas 1,178,300 726,429 11 11 254 22 62 9
Virginia 822,283 406,752 8 6 130 22 88 17
TOTAL 10.459,321 6,475,895 100 100 1,163 237 62 20



RESULTS CE THE SAMPLE D R A W

!
STATE

Lumoer 
of Samples 
Drawn:

Sampling 
Rate.
1/

Standard Deviations of 
Nesro Population

Universe Sample Difference
Aia oama 25 39,211 117,450 112,650 +  4,800
Arkansas . 20 19,444 92,480 111,860 - 19,380
Florida 25 35,793 162,300 140,700 +  21,600
Georgia . 30 37,494 220,200 437,400 -217,200
Louisiana 30 34,336 96,330 106,860 - 10,530

^  Maryland 15 35,125 80,080 71,600 + 8,480
Mississippi 25 36,830 95,370 124,270 - 28,900
North Carolina 30 38,544 151,740 170,460 - 18,720
South Carolina 25 33,278 46,600 56,500 - 9,900
Tennessee 20 29,447 191,360 236,210 - 44,850
Texas 30 35,277 411,840 743,040 -331,200
Virginia 25 32,891 174,690 299,700 -125,010
TOTAL 300 l 619,600 959,140 -379,540

In summary, the number of counties in the sample is 20% of the total number 
of counties in the 12 states, and the sample counties contain 62% of the Negro popu­
lation in the universe.

The total sample standard deviation, less than 107. of the total Negro 
population in the twelve states, is well within acceptable limits on a variable which 
has a 6% universe- standard deviation. It is reasonable to assume that the data 
collected from the sample is correlated with the Negro population measure and 
therefore statistical evaluations of the sample data will result in reliability of 
the same magnitude.:

I

85



AFFIDAVIT OF DR. MARVIN WOLFGANG

Dr, Marvin Wolfgang, of lawful age, first being duly sworn upon oath, 
deposes and saysj

1. I am a Professor of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania and 
Graduate Chairman of the Department of Sociology at that University, Among 
other professional positions, I am presently President of the Pennsylvania 
Prison Society and Vice-President of the American Society of Criminologists.

2. I have directed numerous scientific studies concerned with the nature, 
measurement etiology, and treatment of criminal and anti-social behavior, 
including those leading to the publication of Patterns in Criminal Homicide 
(1958) and The Measurement of Delinquency (196!+) (with Dr. Thorsten Sellin),
I am presently co-director of the Center for Criminological Research at the 
University of Pennsylvania, of the Age-Cohort Study of Delinquency, sponsored 
by the National Institute of Mental Health, and of Socio-psychology Research 
on Violence at the Social Science Research Center, University of Puerto Rico,

3. I have held grants from the Social Science Research Council and the 
Fulbright Research program and a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation,

I have been a contributor to numerous professional journals, such as the 
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, of which I 
was until recently an Associate Editor, and the Journal of Criminal Law, 
Criminology and Police Science of which I am Criminology Editor, I also served 
as the official delegate of the American Sociological Association to the Sixth 
International Conference on Social Defence of the United Nations (1961), and 
presently serve as United States Representative to the Scientific Committee 
of the International Society of Criminology,

U. I am the author of the monograph Crime and Race: Conceptions and
Misconceptions (1961+), In connection with its" preparation’and with my other 
studies, I have had occasion to investigate in numerous aspects the relationship 
between race, crime and punishment,

5, (On information and belief.) In the Spring of 1965, the NAACP Legal 
Defense and Educational Fund, Inc,, 10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 
represented a considerable number of Negroes sentenced to death upon conviction 
of the crime of rape. The claim was and is being asserted by these persons that 
in their respective states the death penalty Is applied in rape cases on a 
racially discriminatory basis in violation of the equal protection and due 
process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, Although the defendants were 
paupers, the Fund —  a corporation supported by private financial contributions —  
had some limited resources available and determined to initiate an investigation 
of the racial factor effecting imposition of the death penalty for rape in the 
south. Professor Anthony Amsterdam of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, 
a general consultant of the Fund, was one of the originators of the idea,

6, Late in March, 1965 Professor Amsterdam asked my assistance in the 
investigation. In consultation with Fund attorneys, Professor Amsterdam and 
I designed the study described below,

8 6



2

7. The hypothesis of the study is that Negroes convicted of rape of
whites are more frequently sentenced to death and more frequently executed, by 
reason of race, than are other persons convicted of rape. To test this 
hypothesis, means were devised to record, for each defendant convicted of rape 
during a period of time and within a court system, the following data: race
of the defendant and race of the victim (independent variables); sentence imposed 
and sentence executed (dependent varieties); and all other circumstances relating 
to the offender, victim, offense and legal proceedings which were available 
for analysis and might likely affect the choice of sentence imposed or executed 
(control factors).

8. The instrument for recording these data was the schedule, titled 
"Capital Punishment Survey," which is appended as Appendix I to this affidavit.
Its 28 pages are exhaustive of the available and known factors which, in my 
opinion, and in the opinion of consultant attorneys experienced in criminal 
litigation, are likely to affect the discretion of jurors and executive officials 
in sentencing, or modifying a sentence imposed upon, a person convicted of rape. 
Among the items of information requested are: race, age, family status,
occupation and criminal record of the offender and the victim; number of offenders 
and victims involved in the offense; circumstances of the offense, including 
extent of resistance by the victim, extent of violence used by the offender, 
nature of the sexual relations practiced, nature of any incidental criminal 
offenses committed by the offender, extent of preplanning of the offense by
the offender; relationship if any between the offender and the victim prior 
to the offense; consequences of the offense, including pregnancy, venereal 
disease and physical or psychic trauma suffered by the victim; circumstances of 
the trial, including the number and nature of the charges, the number of 
defendants jointly tried, the nature of defense representation, the defenses 
raised, the method and nature of the disposition of all charges; and the nature 
and consequences of any post-verdict judicial proceedings and proceedings 
for executive clemency. With respect to each item of information requested, 
standardization of responses was assured by inquiries framed in multiple-choice 
or check-list form; and the attempt was made, as far as practicable, to restrict 
the exercise of judgment in filling out the schedule by couching inquiries in 
terms of simple and objective phenomena. For example, the extent of violence 
used in the rape was to be recorded by checking the appropriate answer items 
among the following: Defendant used weapon on victim/held victim, restraining
movement/pushed or shoved victim/knocked victim down/choked victim/slapped 
victim/beat or kicked victim/cut victim/shot victim/otherwise abused victim 
(specify), (The nature of any weapon used, the manner in which it was used, 
the use, nature and extent of any threats, etc., were the subject of other 
similarly designed questions.)

9. Eleven States (all those in which there had been any significant
number of executions for rape in recent years) were studied: Alabama, Arkansas
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, In each State, I arranged to have a random sample 
of counties drawn, by approved sampling techniques, representative of the State 
in vhite-Negro population ratio and urban-rural population ratio, and comprising 
more than 35 per cent of the total population of each State. In each sample 
county —  230 counties in the eleven States, comprising more than 50/5 of the 
total population of those States —  schedules were to be completed for every

87



3.

rape conviction in the state criminal court or courts of the county between 
January 1, 19^5, and the date during the Summer of 1965 when field research 
in that county was completed,

10, (On information and belief.) During the Spring of 19&5, Fund attorneys 
and volunteer law students in several of the target States made preliminary 
investigations of court and prison records in those States, for the purposes
of determining what sorts of information were likely to be accessible concerning 
rape cases and in what sources.

11. The reports described in paragraph 10, supra were used by Professor
Amsterdam and myself both in designing the schedule described in paragraph 8 
supra and in determining the method of data-gathering to be employed in the 
study. On consideration of the leads developed and problems encountered by 
these preliminary investigators, we determined that the sources of information 
to be used in filling out the schedules would be court records (including 
dockets, file jackets, files, entry books and transcripts in trial and appellate 
courts), prison records, pardon or parole agency records, newspaper files and 
attorney interviews. Priorities were established among the sources: schedules
were to be completed, if possible, on the basis of court, prison and agency 
records; newspaper files and interviews were to be utilized only to the extent 
that schedules could not he completed on the basis of those records. Sources
of information were to be indicated for each item on each schedule; in the event 
of conflicting information from several sources, the conflict and the sources 
were to be noted,

12, (On information and belief.) The researchers responsible for filling 
out the schedules were law students who volunteered for the project through 
the Law Students Civil Rights Research Council, a nationwise law student 
organization. Twenty-eight students were used as researchers.

13. June 21, 1965, the students described in paragraph 12 supra attended 
a conference at the University of Pennsylvania Law School with myself and 
Professor Amsterdam, Frank Heffron, Esq.., a Fund attorney having administrative 
responsibility for the project, and Mr. Steven Antler, Director of the Law 
Students Civil Rights Research Council. Professor Amsterdam and I briefed the 
researchers as a group on the legal and methodological aspects of the study, 
instructed them extensively on the methods of gathering and recording data, 
and examined with them the schedule which they were to use. A detailed 
instruction sheet was distributed to them, a copy of which is appended as 
Appendix II to this affidavit. After the students had been given an opportunity 
to read the schedule and instruction sheet, all conference participants 
including Professor Amsterdam and myself met in a session at which the students 
raised such questions of unclarity in instructions or the schedule as then 
occurred to them. These questions were resolved and definitive answers given
in the group session, so that the understanding of all researchers would be uniform.

lU. (On information and belief.) The researchers were then assigned to 
teams responsible for specific States, and each team discussed with Messrs. 
Heffron and Antler the sources of information which preliminary investigation 
had indicated might be accessible in that State.

8 8



It

15. (On information and belief.) The twenty-eight researchers spent ten, 
and in some cases twelve, weeks following June 21, 1965, conducting field research 
in the target States. They functioned in teams of four or five, each assigned
to a State for a month or longer, under the direct supervision of a team chair­
man who was in constant contact with fir. Heffron in the Fund’s New York office, 
and with Mr, Antler at the New York office of the Council. All questions or 
problems arising were thus resolved centrally, and wherever questions related 
to general matters of methodology or to the construction of the schedule, supple­
mental instruction sheets were distributed to all researchers, in order to 
maintain uniformity of approach. There were relatively few such general questions 
and problems: the detailed initial instructions and the June 21 conference were
in large part successful in anticipating difficulties. The researchers found 
state officials, custodians of documents and attorneys cooperative; in some 
areas they were assisted in making contacts by local attorneys related to the 
Fund. The researchers completed their assigned work in all but a few Virginia counties.

16. In total, 2,672 schedules were returned. On the larger part of these, 
most of the items were answered. The data thus supplied, in my opinion, should 
provide an adequate basis, if analyzed by approved statistical methods, for 
valid and reliable conclusions about the effect of race as a factor in determining 
the imposition and execution of capital punishment for rape in the States studied,

17. Because of the voluminous and complex nature of the data whose exami­
nation is required in order to arrive at such valid end reliable conclusions, 
considerable time is needed for analysis before even preliminary opinions can 
be formed concerning the effect of race on capital sentencing and executions
in the State of South Carolina. Three hundred and fifty-five schedules returned 
from the following twenty-one randomly selected South Carolina counties must be 
analyzed: Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Union, Chester, Chesterfield,
Horry, Florence, Lee, Newberry, Abbeville, Aiken, Richland, Sumter, Clarendon, 
Williamsburg, Berkeley, Orangeburg, Bamberg, Jasper, and Charleston.

18. As of January 1, 1966, preliminary analysis and evaluation of the 
data from the study has been completed for the state of Louisiana. The results 
solidly establish that the one factor which makes the difference between life 
and death for convicted rapists in that state is their race and that of their 
victim. Other available factors —  degree of violence, victim's reputation 
for chastity, defendant's prior record, plea, etc., —  fail to account for the 
racial disproportion in capital sentencing. The statistical methods employed
for the Louisiana data can be applied to ttfce South Carolina data, and should give a 
similarly solid foundation for evaluation if adequate time for processing is 
allowed.

Dr. Marvin Wolfgang
Sworn to and subscribed to before me

89Notary Public
■fctery Piihir,.



XU THE UNITE© STATES DISTRICT CDUST 

SOS THE DISTSXCr OF SOUTH GASOLXHA 
COLUMBIA DIVISION

LOUIS MOOSES, 

•VS*

I

t
Petitioner,

!

STATE OS SOUTH CASOLIKA and 
ELLIS C. MaGDOUGALL, Director, 
South Cuaiiaa State Board of 
Corrections,

:
CIVIL ACTION 

$ NO. AC-1583

3

Xtapoadaits.

3

CESflFICATE OF SESVICE

I hereby certify that on this 13th day of January, 
1*88, I served a copy of the Motion for Sohoarlay in tho abovo 
ontitlod caao by depositing sane in tho Unitod Statoo Mall, 
postage prepaid, addrocood to Honorable Daniel S. McLeod, 

Attorney General of South Carolina, Wade Hanpton Office Sullding, 
Golunbia, South Carolina.

MATTHEW J. PERSY 
Attorney for Petitioner

January IS, 1*88.
90



AFFIDAVIT OF DR. MARVIN WOLFGANG

Dr. Marvin Wolfgang, of lawful age, first being duly swc .* upon oath, 
deposes and says:

1. I am a Professor of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania and 
Graduate Chairman of the Department of Sociology at that University. Among 
other professional positions, I am presently President of the Pennsylvania 
Prison Society and Vice-President of the American Society of Criminologists.

2. I have directed numerous scientific studies concerned with the nature, 
measurement etiology, and treatment of criminal and anti-social behavior, 
including those leading to the publication of Patterns in Criminal Homicide 
(1958) and The Measurement of Delinquency (196L) (with Dr. Thorsten Sellin),
I am presently co-director of the Center for Criminological Research at the 
University of Pennsylvania, of thc Age-Cohort Study of Delinquency, sponsored 
by the National Institute of Mental Health, and of Socio-psychology Research 
on Violence at the Social Science Research Center, University of Puerto Rico.

3. I have held grants from the Social Science Research Council and the 
Fulbright Research program and a fellowship from the Guggenheim Foundation.

I have been a contributor to numerous professional journals, such as the 
Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, of which I 
was ’until recently an Associate Editor, and the Journal of Criminal Law, 
Criminology and Police Science of which I am Criminology Editor. I also served 
as the official delegate of the American Sociological Association to the Sixth 
International Conference on Social Defence of the United Nations (1961), and 
presently serve as United States Representative to the Scientific Committee 
of the International Society of Criminology.

k. I am the author of the monograph Crime and Race: Conceptions and
Misconceptions (196U), In connection with its preparation and with ay other 
studies, I have had occasion to investigate in numerous aspects the relationship 
between race, crime and punishment.

5, (On information and belief.) In the Spring of 1965, the NAACP Legal 
Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., 10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 
represented a considerable number of Negroes sentenced to death upon conviction 
of the crime of rape. The claim was and is being asserted by these persons that 
in their respective states the death penalty is applied in rape cases on a 
racially discriminatory basis in violation of the equal protection and due 
process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Although the defendants were 
paupers, the Fund —  a corporation supported by private financial contributions —  
had some limited resources available and determined to initiate an investigation 
of the racial factor effecting imposition of the death penalty for rape in the 
south. Professor Anthony Amsterdam of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, 
a general consultant of the Fund, was one of the originators of the idea.

6, Late in March, 1965 Professor Amsterdam asked my assistance in the 
investigation. In consultation with Fund attorneys, Professor Amsterdam and 
I designed the study described below.

91



2.

7. The hypothesis of the study is that Negroes convicted of rape of 
whites are more frequently sentenced to death and more frequently executed, by 
reason of race, than are other persons convicted of rape. To test this 
hypothesis, means were devised to record, for each defendant convicted of rape 
during a period of time and within a court system, the following data: race
of the defendant and race of the victim (independent variables); sentence imposed 
and sentence executed (dependent variables); and all other circumstances relating 
to the offender, victim, offense and legal proceedings which were available 
for analysis and might likely affect the choice of sentence imposed or executed 
(control factors).

Q, The instrument for recording these data was the schedule, titled 
'Capital Punishment Survey," which is appended as Appendix I to this affidavit.
Its 28 pages are exhaustive of the available and known factors which, in my 
opinion, and in the opinion of consultant attorneys experienced in criminal 
litigation, are likely to affect the discretion of jurors and executive officials 
in sentencing, or modifying a sentence imposed upon, a person convicted of rape. 
Among the items of information requested are: race, age, family status,
occupation and criminal record of the offender and the victim; number of offenders 
and victims involved in the offense; circumstances of the offense, including 
extent of resistance by the victim, extent of violence used by the offender, 
nature of the sexual relations practiced, nature of any incidental criminal 
offenses committed by the offender, extent of preplanning of the offense by 
the offender; relationship if any between the offender and the victim prior 
to the offense; consequences of the offense, including pregnancy, venereal 
disease and physical or psychic trauma suffered by the victim; circumstances of 
the trial, including the number and nature of the charges, the number of 
defendants jointly tried, the nature of defense representation, the defenses 
raised, the method and nature of the disposition of all charges; and the nature 
and consequences of any post-verdict judicial proceedings and proceedings 
for executive clemency. With respect to each item of information requested, 
standardisation of responses was assured by inquiries framed in multiple-choice 
or check-list form; and the attempt was made, as far as practicable, to restrict 
the exercise of judgment in filling out the schedule by couching inquiries in 
terms of simple and objective phenomena. For example, the extent of violence 
used in the rape was to be recorded by checking the appropriate answer items 
among the following: Defendant used weapon on victim/held victim, restraining
movement/pushed or shoved victim/knocked victim down/chcked victim/slapped 
vietim/beat or kicked victim/cut victim/shot victim/otherwise abused victim 
(specify). (The nature of any weapon used, the manner in which it was used, 
the use, nature and extent of any threats, etc., were the subject of other 
similarly designed questions.)

9. Eleven States (all those in which there had been any significant 
number of executions for rape in recent years) were studied: Alabama, Arkansas
Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, 
Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. In each State, 1 arranged to have a random sample 
of counties drawn, by approved sampling techniques, representative of the State 
in vhite-Negro population ratio and urban-rural population ratio, and comprising 
more than 35 per cent of the total population of each State. In each sample 
county —  230 counties in the eleven States, comprising more than 50# of the 
total population of those States —  schedules were to be completed for every

92



3.

rape conviction in the state criminal court or courts of the county between 
January 1, 19^5, and the date during the Summer of 1965 when field research 
in that county was conpleted,

10. (On information and belief.) During the Spring of 1965, Fund attorneys 
and volunteer law students in several of the target States made preliminaiy 
Investigations of court and prison records in those States, for the purposes
of determining what sorts of information were likely to be accessible concerning 
rape cases and in what sources.

11. The reports described in paragraph 10, supra were used by Professor 
Amsterdam and myself both in designing the schedule described in paragraph 8

-̂n determining the method of data-gathering to be employed in the 
study. On consideration of the leads developed and problems encountered by 
these preliminary investigators, we determined that the sources of information 
to be used in filling out the schedules would be court records (including 
dockets, file Jackets, files, entry books and transcripts in trial and appellate 
courts), prison records, pardon or parole agency records, newspaper files and 
attorney interviews. Priorities were established among the sources: schedules
were to be completed, if possible, on the basis of court, prison and agency 
records; newspaper files and interviews were to be utilized only to the extent 
that schedules could not he completed on the basis of those records. Sources 
of information were to be indicated for each item on each schedule; in the event 
of conflicting information from several sources, the conflict and the sources 
were to he noted.

12. (On information and belief.) The researchers responsible for filling 
out the schedules were law students who volunteered for the project through 
the Law Students Civil Rights Research Council, a nationwise law student 
organization. Twenty-eight students were used as researchers.

13. June 21, 1965, the students described in paragraph 12 supra attended 
a conference at the University of Pennsylvania Law School with myself and 
Professor Amsterdam, Frank Heffron, Esq., a Fund attorney having administrative 
responsibility for the project, and Mr. Steven Antler, Director of the Law 
Students Civil Rights Research Council. Professor Amsterdam and I briefed the 
researchers as a group on the legal and methodological aspects of the study, 
instructed them extensively on the methods of gathering and recording data,’ 
and examined with them the schedule which they were to use. A detailed 
instruction sheet was distributed to them, a copy of which is appended as 
Appendix II to this affidavit. After the students had been given an opportunity 
to read the schedule and instruction sheet, all conference participants 
including Professor Amsterdam and myself met in a session at which the students 
raised such questions of unclarity in instructions or the schedule as then 
occurred to them._ These questions were resolved and definitive answers given
in the group session, so that the understanding of all researchers would be

ll+. (On information and belief.) The researchers were then assigned to 
teams responsible for specific States, and each team discussed with Messrs 
Heffron and Antler the sources of information which preliminary investigation 
had indicated might be accessible in that State.

93



15. (On information and belief.) The twenty-eight researchers spent ten, 
and in some cases twelve, weeks following June 21, 1965, conducting field research 
in the target States. They functioned in teams of four or five, each assigned
to a State for a month or longer, under the direct supervision of a team chair­
man who was in constant contact with Mr. Heffron in the Fund's New York office, 
and with Mr. Antler at the New York office of the Council. All questions or 
problems arising were thus resolved centrally, and wherever questions related 
to general matters of methodology or to the construction of the schedule, supple­
mental instruction sheets were distributed to all researchers, in order to 
maintain uniformity of approach. There were relatively few such general questions 
and problems: the detailed initial instructions and the June 21 conference were
in large part successful in anticipating difficulties. The researchers found 
state officials, custodians of documents and attorneys cooperative; in some 
areas they were assisted in making contacts by local attorneys related to the 
Fund. The researchers completed their assigned work in all but a few Virginia 
counties.

16. In total, 2,672 schedules were returned. On the larger part of these, 
most of the items were answered. The data thus supplied, in my opinion, should 
provide an adequate basis, if analyzed by approved statistical methods, for 
valid and reliable conclusions about the effect of race as a factor in determining 
the imposition and execution of capital punishment for rape in the States studied.

17. Because of the voluminous and complex nature of the data whose exami­
nation is required in order to arrive at such valid end reliable conclusions, 
considerable time is needed for analysis before even preliminary opinions can 
be formed concerning the effect of race on capital sentencing and executions
in the State of South Carolina. Three hundred and fifty-five schedules returned 
from the following twenty-one randomly selected South Carolina counties must be 
analyzed: Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Union, Chester, Chesterfield,
Horry, Florence, Lee, Newberry, Abbeville, Aiken, Richland, Sumter, Clarendon, 
Williamsburg, Berkeley, Orangeburg, Bamberg, Jasper, and Charleston.

18. As of January 1, 1966, preliminary analysis and evaluation of the 
data from the study has been completed for the state of Louisiana. The results 
solidly establish that the one factor which makes the difference between life 
and death for convicted rapists in that state is their race and that of their 
victim. Other available factors —  degree of violence, victim's reputation 
for chastity, defendant's prior record, plea, etc., —  fail to account for the 
racial disproportion in capital sentencing. The statistical methods employed
for the Louisiana data can be applied to ttfiae South Carolina data, and should give a 
similarly solid foundation for evaluation if adequate time for processing is 
allowed.

Dr. Marvin Wolfgang

Sworn to and subscribed to before me
this ___day o f _____________ , 1965.

Notary Public 94



‘ ZB THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
FOE THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA

COLUMBIA DIVISION
Civil. ACTION BO. AC-1583

LOUIS MOORES, )
)

Petitioner, )
)
)
>

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA and 
ELLIS C. MacDOUGALL, Director, 
South Carolina state Board of 
Corrections,

LINA and } 
i. Director, J 
a Board of )

>
)

Respondents. }

Upon reading the matters set forth in Motion for

j

Rehearing, filed January 13, 1966, upon considering the annexed 
exhibits (not competent in this case) and having heretofore 
noted the effort to obstruct justice and delay justice in this 
case; there being no request for a hearing on the motion, the 
Motion for Rehearing is DENIED.

AND ZT IS SO ORDERED

ROBERT W. HEMPHILL
ROBERT W. HEMPHILL

United States District Judge
Rock Hill, South Carolina
January 19, 1966

95
1



i» t h e  u n i t e d  s t a t u  d i s t r i c t  oourr

W t  THE DISTRICT OP SOUTH CAROLINA 

COLOMBIA DIVISION

)
LOUIS MOCRBR, )

P e t i t i o n e r ,  )

-VS- ) CIVIL ACTION
NO.

STATE OP SOUTH CAROLINA )
and ELLIS C. MacDOUGALL,
Diract o r , South Carolina )
State Board of Correction#,

)
Respondents. * 39

NOTICE OP APPEAL TO THE UNITED STATES COURT CP 
' ___APPEAL POR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT________

NOTICE is hereby given that the petitioner 

above naaed, hereby appeals to the United States Court 

of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit fare* the Order of 

Honorable Robert w. Hemphill, United States District 

Judge, entered and filed herein on January 19, 1966.

January 25, 1966. ha rnraw-jr p e r r y --------
1107% Washington Street 
Columbia, South Carolina

P. HENDERSON MOORE
39 Spring Straet 
Charleston, South Carolina

JACK GREENBERG 
NORMAN C. AMAKER 
10 Columbus Circle 
New York, Nee York 10019

Attorneys for Petitioner.

96



■ , -n

x a a a a

j
Caption I.....  ...... .... ..i -    -      ■■■..»„ ■■ ■■
Socket Entries ..... . — — — ■...
Petition for frit of Habeas Corpus, Petition tor Leave 
to proceed in F o m a  Pauperis and Affidavit la Support 
of Petition to Proceed in Foraa Pauperis .. ..» ■».. ..
Petition for Stay of Execution .................... .. . .<
Order Staying Execution ... ... . .............. ........ ...... .
Return of Sespondents .............. ............... ..... ..
Motion for Leave to file Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus ............... .. ... ...... ...
Aaended Petition for Writ of Babeas Corpun .-... .
Petition that this Court retain jurisdiction for Writ of 
Babeas Corpus and Stay of Execution .... ..........
Order continuing stay of Execution and to Sbov Cause
Order Remanding Case to State Court and vacating Stay of 
Execution and Relinquishing Jurisdiction .... — —  — - ......— .. -
Petition for Stay of Execution, Petition for Writ of 
Habeas Corpus with copy Order of The Supreme court of 
South Carolina attached thereto <■-" ■■ -.. — ........... ......
Reporter’s Transcript of Hearing an Aaended Petition for 
Writ of Habeas Corpus «. See Volume XX.
Certificate of Probable Cause ............. .......... ......
notice of Appeal---------- ---— —  ■■■■  ... -  
Order of Honorable Clement F. Baynsvorth, U. S. C. A., 
granting Stay of Execution and peraissioa to appeal in 
Forma Pauperis .........................<
Order and Mandate froa 0. S. C. A. reaanding case to this 
Court for further proceedings .
Order that the execution of the sentence of death imposed by 
the Court of General Sessions of Dorchester County, S. C. be 
stayed pending the termination of further consideration of 
this Court .... -..
Reporter’s transcript of Pretrial Hearing on July id, 1985, 
See voluae XXX.
Pretrial order     — — — — — —   ...

- i -

SSSSL Eo,

1
l(o)

a
10

14

18

20

21

28

22

37

57

7 1

7 2

7 3

7 8

80

9 1

97



IKttlX

Page Wo«

Order for ft Writ of Habeas Corpus for the purpose of
having said Petitioner brought before this Court on
August 1*# 1966, at Columblat South Carolina .......... ......  06
Reporter's Transcript of Hearing on August 16. 1996 - 
See Volume XT*
Motion for Petitioner to Withdraw Exhibit Ho. 1 for
Copying----------- - -     ■    --------------------- , 87
Order of Judge Basphill denying Relief Sought by
Petitioner — — — • -       — —  — — —  89
Motion for Rehearing (with attachments)    — —  108
Order denying Motion for Rehearing   .... ..- 160
notice of Appeal to 9. 9. C. A. ..—  ■   — — — —  — — - 181
Clerk's Certificate ------- - - ..... ... ...183

Notei Petitioner's Exhibits Noe. 1 and 2 are enclosed
in a separate envelope. Also enclosed are six 
copies of booklet entitled "Capital Punishment 
Survey*"

98



:ir\

CAvrios

XX tax UNITED STATES DI8TRICT COURT TDK TEX
DISTRICT OT SOOTH C4203UXM 

Civil

At * United States District Court ter the 
lastsra District of South Carolina 
begun and hold at the Baited States 
Courthouse In Coltstbia, South Carolina, 
April 1, 1868.

presents Honorable Robert V* Henphlll, Jr., 
Halted States District Judge for the District of 
South Carolina.

proceedings sere as follows!

99



C U K ' S  OtETIMCATS

xv m i m rsm  states district court id* tbs
DISTRICT Of SOUTH CAROUVA 

Civil

I, Miller C. foetar, Jr., Clark of the 
United States District Court for tbs District 
of South Carolina, do hereby certify that tha 
foregoing is tha original record la tha ease of 
Louis Moorer versus State of South Carolina and 
Sills C, HacDougall, Director, South Carolina 
State Board of Corrections, Civil Aetioa AC-1583, 
together with Order of Honorable Robert V. Besphill 
entered and filed January 18, 1988 and all papers 
relating to the saae«

Given under ay band and seal of said 
Court,, at Charleston* South Carolina,, this 4th 'day 
of Uarch, 1968*

(Seal)

KXUUER C. POSTS®, JR. 
C, D* I, S. C, D, 8. C.

By| Deputy Clerk



The State of South Carolina
IN THE SUPREME COURT

APPEAL FROM DORCHESTER COUNTY 

H onorable Steve C. Griffith, J udge

THE STATE, Respondent, 

against

LOUIS MOORER, Appellant

TRANSCRIPT OF RECORD

W. Newton P ough,
125 Boulevard, N. E., 

Orangeburg, S. C., 
Attorney for Appellant.

H on. Julian S. W olfe, 
Solicitor,

Orangeburg, S. C., 
and

Sidney B. Jones,
Summerville, S. C., 

Attorneys for Respondent.

101



8 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

STATE’S EVIDENCE
29

Mr. Wolfe: Shall I proceed, Your Honor?
The Court: Yes.
Mr. Wolfe: Mrs. Catherine D. Johnston, will you 

please come around and be sworn?

Mrs. Catherine D. J ohnston, a witness on behalf of 
the State, being duly sworn, testifies:

Direct Examination
By Mr. W olfe:

80 Q. I believe your name is Mrs. Catherine D. John­
ston?

A. Yes, sir.
Q. Mrs. Johnston, where do you live?
A. On Johnston Street.
Q. Is that in the town of St. George, Dorchester 

County ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Mrs. Johnston, were you living there on De­

cember 14th, 1961?
81 A. Yes, sir.

Q. That is in Dorchester County?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Mrs. Johnston, did you know the defendant, 

Louis Moorer, who sits in court?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long have you known him approximately?
A. Six or seven years.
Q. Mrs. Johnston, state whether or not he worked 

around your house or yard from time to time?
A. He worked more in the yard. He raked the yard, 

fertilized, shake the pecan trees, and occasionally he

1 0 2



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

9

Mbs. Catherine D. J ohnston 
would come in the house and clean the brass. On one 
occasion, two occasions I took him to the beach, one 
time after a storm—a group of us went down to clean 
up. Another time two years ago for several days, I 
thought maybe I might make a house party but it didn’t 
work out.

Q. You and Dr. Johnston paid him as a worker!
A. Sir!
Q. I say. You all paid him as a worker!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You paid him for his services!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Now, Mrs. Johnston, on December 14th, 1961, in 

the town of St. George, in Dorchester County, were 
you at home on that date!

A. Yes, I was at home.
Q. Who was at your house on that occasion or on 

that day, that is December 14th, 1961!
A. Well, that morning, two ladies were there from 

the florist. Two ladies from Byrd’s Florist were there, 
at my house, Christmas decorating. Several people 
dropped in. Then about twelve-fifteen there were no- 36 
body there, up until about one-thirty-five my sister- 
in-law came by.

Q. Was Louis Moorer there working around the yard 
that day!

A. Louis came to my house about eight o ’clock. 
About twelve o’clock he left to go to dinner. He said 
he would come back after dinner and finish the work.
He came back to my house approximately around one- 
forty-five.

Q. At the time he came to your house approximately 
one-forty-five on this date in question, that is, Decem­
ber 14th, 1961, where were you at then!

103



The State v. Moorer

M rs. Catherine D. Johnston
8, A. When he first got there, I was in the kitchen talk­

ing to my sister-in-law, Mrs. Sharpe. Then she left and 
I was there alone until my children came from school.

Q. What size house do you and Dr. Johnston own, 
Mrs. Johnston?

A. Well, it is a story and a half, seven or eight 
rooms.

Q. How many children do you and Dr. Johnston 
have!

A. I have four sons.
3g Q. How long have you been rfiarried?

A. Twenty-five years.
Q. Now, Mrs. Johnston, I believe you stated that 

your sister, Mrs. Sharpe—
A. My sister-in-law.
Q. Left the house about one-thirty-five?
A. She came at one-thirty-five and left approxi­

mately at one-forty-five.
Q. Did she leave by the front door or the back door, 

if you remember?
39 By the back door and I walked on to the back 

door with her.
Q. At that time do you remember where Louis 

Moorer was?
A. Well, when I was walking from the kitchen on 

through the dining room, in the living room, I heard 
Louis either sweeping or raking at the front, either the 
front yard or the front porch.

Q. Do you know whether Mrs. Sharpe left by car?
A. She left by car.
Q. Was anyone else in the house or nearby when

40 Mrs. Sharpe left?
A. No, sir.

10______________ SUPREME COURT________________

104-



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

11

Mrs. Catherine D. J ohnston
Q. Then, Mrs. Johnston, after she left, would you 

tell this Court and Jury when you saw Louis Moorer 
again and under what circumstances!

A. You want me to tell it!
Q. Yes, ma’am, just tell exactly what happened.
A. My sister-indaw, Mrs. Sharpe left about one- 

forty-five. I walked on through the living room and 
dining room. I heard Louis out front working. We had 
been Christmas decorating. I walked to the door to 
tell him to sweep up all of the trash off the porch. Well,
I have a heavy wooden door and a louvered door. I 
left the wooden door open and stood there talking to 42 

Louis. I realized that he would need a dust pan to 
get the trash up. I told Louis that I would get him the 
dust pan. I closed the louvered door and left the 
wooden door open, and walked on in the house. As I 
started in the house, Louis stepped through the door.
I thought he had misunderstood and I said, “ No, Louis, 
you wait on the front porch and I will bring the dust 
pan.”  I went through my living room and dining room 
and got the dust pan out of the broom closet. I got 
the dust pan and started through the dining room and 43 

saw Louis running towards me, and he grabbed me 
with both arms, just like this. (Demonstrating.) I said, 
“Louis, here is the dust pan.” He said, “Dust pan! Dust 
pan! We don’t need no dust pan for what I am going 
to do to you.”  Well, we started struggling and fighting. 
We got all around my sofa until we got right in front 
of the fireplace. I was pleading with Louis that he 
was a young boy and that whatever he was going to do 
would follow him all of his life and he would have to 
pay for it. That if he would leave at that time that I 
would not tell, just to go ; and with that he threw me 
down on the floor, fell on top of me and took my head

105



12 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Mrs. Catherine D. J ohnston 
and beat it up and down on the floor just like this, and 
said, “Hell, tell, tell, tell. Who is going to tell? I 
ain’t going to leave you to tell.” Well, we struggled 
and fought some more and I got right to the corner of 
the stairsteps. He had my slip up and was trying to 
get my pants down. I had managed to cross my legs 
and get them together. He took my left arm and 
started twisting it. He twisted my arm until I thought 
it would break. He looked at me and he said, “  Uncross 
your legs or open your legs and I won’t hurt you any­
more.”  I said, “ No, no.”  He twisted my arm some

46 more. We continued to fight and struggle. We got right 
in front of my door. As I told you my wooden door 
was open, the louvered door was closed. I was pleading 
with him again to please go and I told him that a man 
from Sharpe-McMahon was going to come in just a 
little while and bring a Christmas tree and that who­
ever came would kill him if they caught him like that. 
Just for a second, he paused like he was going to 
listen to me. I screamed as loud as I could. When I 
screamed, he took his hands and put them around my

47 throat and choked me until I reckon I could see spots 
in front of my eyes. I thought I was going out, 1  

thought he was killing me. I closed my eyes and he 
relaxed his grip from me. Then we fought some more. 
I felt like I could almost maybe get away and then he 
would down me again. He started all the time pulling 
at my clothes and trying to get to me and trying to get 
my legs uncrossed. Then he started kissing me. He 
took his tongue and tried to open my mouth. He had 
his mouth and tongue all over my face. I slapped him 
as hard as I could with all the strength I had. He hit 
me right over my temple and took my fists and started 
slapping me like that and said, “ Don’t you never do

106



Appeal from Dorchester County

Mrs. Catherine D. J ohnston 
that again to me, Miss Kitty, when I kiss you. Don’t 
you never. I came to get it and I will stay until I get 
it.”  Well, we fought on and, of course, I was getting 
worn out. Finally he started hitting me right here.

Q. That is in the front of the breast!
A. Right here.
Q. In the stomach!
A. Right here in the front. Started pounding and 

then he started kissing me some more. I turned my 
face. He started pulling my clothes some more. He had 
my pants down. I think my legs were still crossed. I 
was still fighting. I tried to turn my face away from 
his kisses. I could feel myself, I was coming and going 
away from him and my arms went limp. I realized 
that the fight was just about over. I could not light 
any more. Of course, he was on top of me. He was 
saying—it seems like I could hear him saying, “ Is it 
in, is it in! Put it in. Hug me tight, hug me tight, Miss 
Kitty.” I reckon I went on out. I could not tell you any­
thing right then. The next thing I knew, it seem like 
just for a minute he relaxed, just for a split second. I 
jumped up and went through the louvered door and 
just as I started through the door, he grabbed at my 
skirt, but I got on through the door. As I got through 
the door, I saw a car was stopping out front and my 
fourteen year old son was getting out of the car. School 
was out, it was two-fifteen. I did not want the school 
children to see me. I felt disgraced and humiliated. I 
sat down on the steps and did like this. (Indicating.) 
Then I heard the front door open and close. I looked 
up and there was Louis standing over me, and my 
little eleven year old boy was standing behind. He 
said, “ Don’t you tell, don’t you tell. You better not 
tell. I mean it, don’t you tell.”  I said, “ Louis, just

SUPREME COURT 13



14 SUPREME COURT
The State v. Moorer

Mbs. Catherine D. J ohnston
g3 leave this yard and never come back again.”  I got up. 

I reckon he left. I got up and went on in the house. 
My two boys were in there asking me what in the 
world was wrong with me. I was panting so for breath. 
I realized that something had to be done. They kept 
wanting to know what had happened. I could not let 
them know what had happened. I asked the youngest 
little boy to go and get my sister-in-law, Mrs. Sharpe. 
I reckon that was about two-twenty.

Q. Mrs. Johnston, did he ravish you or commit 
rape?

64 A. Yes, sir.
Q. Mrs. Johnston, I believe you have, in your tes­

timony, told of going to the front to meet your young 
boy who was out of school, what did you do next after 
that, Mrs. Johnson?

A. After my little boy was coming up the walk?
Q. Yes, ma’am.
A, My one thought was to get in the house and not 

the child know what had happened. I went on in and 
sent for my sister-in-law.

£6 Q. I believe, at that time, Mrs. Johnston, your hus­
band, Dr. Johnston, was out of town?

A. Yes, sir, he was hunting.
Q. He was hunting?
A. Yes, sir, he had gone for the day.
Q. So then, you immediately sent or called your 

sister, Mrs. Sharpe?
A. I sent for her.
Q. You conferred with her?
A. As soon as I could talk, I tried to tell her what 

had happened.
Q. Do you know where Dr. Johnston, your husband, 

was hunting that day?

56

108



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

15

Mbs. Catherine D. J ohnston
A. Yes, sir, he was hunting down at Lincoln Green, 

which is about twelve miles from St. George. They 
were out in the woods.

Q. Was Dr. Johnston there for dinner or that morn­
ing!

A. No, sir, he left that morning to be hunting all 
that day.

Q. I believe Lineolnville is the Southern Railroad 
property?

A. Lincoln Green is the Southern Railway prop­
erty.

58Q. And that is in Dorchester County also?
A. Y7es, sir.
Mr. Wolfe: YTour Honor, I have the clothes if you 

would like to see them.
The Court: I don’t care about seeing them. Before 

you disclose them, offer them to counsel and see if 
there is any objection.

(Mr. Wolfe offers clothes to counsel for inspection.)
Mr. Pough: We object to them, Your Honor.
The Court: I sustain the objection at this time. I 69 

see no necessity for them.
Mr. Wolfe: Nothing further from the State at this 

time. You may examine the witness.
Mr. Pough: Nothing from the defense. No ques­

tions.
Mr. Wolfe: You may come down, Mrs. Johnston.
(Mrs. Johnston leaves the witness stand.)
Mr. Wolfe: Mrs. Sharpe, will you come around, 

please.
60

109



16 SUPREME COURT
The State v. Moorer 

Mrs. E thel Sharpe
Mrs. E thel Sharpe, a witness on behalf of the State, 

being duly sworn, testifies:
Direct Examination

By Mr. W olfe:
Q. I believe your name is Mrs. Ethel Sharpe?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What is your full name?
A. Mrs. Ethel Johnston Sharpe.
Q. Where do you live?
A. St. George, on Horne Street.
Q. Is that in Dorchester County?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I believe that Mrs. Catherine D. Johnston who 

has just preceded you to the witness stand is a sister?
A. Sister-in-law.
Q. Sister-in-law?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Mrs. Sharpe, on this occasion—I might ask you 

this, are you married?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you have a family?
A. Yes, sir, two girls.
Q. I believe your husband is in business in St. 

George?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Mrs. Sharpe, on this occasion, that is, Decem­

ber 14th, 1961, did you have occasion to see your sis­
ter-in-law, Mrs. Johnston, that morning?

A. I went by there and talked with her that morn­
ing; earlier that morning, I talked with her and I 
went by there about one-forty-five, I reckon it was, 
to see her Christmas decorations because we were 
going out of town together.

1 1 0



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

17

Mrs. E thel Sharpe
Q. Approximately what time did you leave there 

that day!
A. I left about one-forty-five, I would say. I did 

not stay very long because I was going to school to 
pick up my little girl, so I could take her home before 
we left town.

Q. Did you see Louis Moorer there at that time?
A. I did not see him when I was leaving the house 

but after I left her house, I parked on the corner, 
facing her house, in the direction towards my house, 
waiting on the school bell to ring. I looked up and 
saw Louis out in the raking and my first thought was, 
that her house looked so pretty she wanted the yard 
to be raked. I saw him go up on the steps and on the 
porch but I thought nothing about it because I re­
membered there was a lot of trash on the porch to 
be picked up.

Q. Now when you left the Johnston home at one- 
forty-five, as you have testified to, was anyone else 
at home at that time with Mrs. Johnston?

A. No, sir, there was no one else there.
Q. Does anyone live close by?
A. Yes, sir, she has neighbors on both sides.
Q. Did you happen to see any neighbors out in 

front of either house as you drove to school?
A. No, sir, no one.
Q. So, then, Mrs. Sharpe, you left, as you have tes­

tified, approximately one-forty-five?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Approximately when did you hear further from 

Mrs. Johnston?
A. Well, I would imagine it was about two-fifteen 

or two-twenty. The bell rings at two. I thought that 
day my little girl was a little slow in coming. Then



18
The State v. Moorer
SUPREME COURT

M bs. E thel Sharpe
as I passed her house, which was—I was parked only 
about two hundred or two hundred and fifty feet from 
her house. When I passed, her little boy ran out and 
called me and asked me to come in, that she wanted 
to see me.

Q. Well, you had conference with her. I don’t think 
you can go into the conversation. Would you describe 
her condition!

A. Well, when I saw her, when I went in, she met 
me in the hall, right in the hall. Her hair was all 
messed up. She had a terrible bruise over her left

70 cheek and I noticed her throat was so red, she just 
looked awful, because I had just left her. She caught 
me by my arm and carried me in the bathroom, be­
cause her little eleven year old boy was right behind 
me. I asked her what had happened.

The Court: Just a minute, don’t go into any con­
versation you had with her.

Mr. Wolfe: You did have a conversation or con­
ference with her!

A. I did.
71 Q. As a result of that conversation or that confer­

ence what did you do next, please, ma’am!
A. Well, when I finally got out of her what had hap­

pened—she was so upset—she finally told me what 
had happened and—

Q. You can’t go into any detail of what she told you.
A. I gave her something to quiet her. Then I called 

to my husband and told him to come around imme­
diately.

Q. Now, approximately what time was that, if you 
remember, Mrs. Sharpe!

A. Well, I imagine I called my husband about twen­
ty minutes to three, I guess, somewhere along in there,

112



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

19

Mbs. Ethel Sharpe
twenty minutes or a quarter to three. He came as soon 
as he could. He could not come right away because
there was n o  o n e  i n  the store. He got there just shortly 
after three, as well as I remember.

Q. You conferred with him?
A. 1 told him then—
Q. You can’t tell him what you told him. You con­

sulted with him?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. As a result of the information you imparted to 

him, what happened next!
A. H e went for Dr. Johnston and I told him where u 

Dr. Johnston was and to go for him.
Q. Approximately what time did Dr. Johnston ar­

rive ?
A. I imagine it was about four o ’clock.
Q. Were you at the home when Dr. Johnston came?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Do you know what took place next or did you 

go with them anywhere?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where did you go?
A. 1 went down to the office. Dr. Johnston went 

ahead of us and then [ carried Mrs. Johnston down.
Q. You carried Mrs. Johnston to Dr. Johnston’s of­

fice?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Approximately what time was that?
A. Well, I imagine that was about four-thirty or 

twenty-five minutes to five, somewhere along in there.
Q. Was that in Dorchester County?
A. Yes, sir, right down town.
Q. Dr. Johnston is a general medical practitioner?
A. Yes, sir.

113



20 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Mrs. E thel Sharpe 
James M. Sharpe

T7
Q. Do you know what examination, if any, was made 

or were you present when—
The Court: I would not go into that with her, not 

this witness.
Mr. Wolfe: How long did you wait at Dr. John­

ston’s office?
A. I imagine we were there about fifteen minutes, 

probably because he went ahead of us and had every­
thing ready.

Q. Then, did you take Mrs. Johnston home after 
7s that?

A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that substantially what you know about it, 

Mrs. Sharpe?
A. Yes, sir.
Mr. Wolfe: You may examine the witness.
Mr. Pough: No questions.
Mr. W olfe: Thank you, Mrs. Sharpe, you may come 

down.
(Mrs. Sharpe leaves the witness stand.)

Mr. James M. Sharpe, a witness on behalf of the 
State, being duly sworn, testifies:

Direct Examination
By Mr. Jones:
Q. Will you state your name, please?
A. James McKissick Sharpe.
Q. Where do you reside?
A. Horne Street, in St. George.
Q. What type of business are you in?
A. Building supply, Sharpe-McMahon Building 

Supply.

114

r x



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

21

James M. Sharpe
Q. Where is your office located!
A. On Main Street in St. George, Highway 15.
Q. Approximately how far from the home of Mrs. 

J ohnston f
A. I would say about three-quarters of a mile.
Q. Are you any relation to Mrs. Ethel Sharpe who 

just testified?
A. That is my wife.
Q. Would you state whether or not on the afternoon 

of December 14th, 1961 anything unusual occurred?
A. Nothing but the accident of Mrs. Johnston.
Q. Did you receive a telephone call that afternoon!
A. My wife called me to come to Mrs. Johnston’s 

house about twenty minutes of three.
Q. As a result of that call, did you go to Mrs. John­

ston’s house?
A. I couldn’t leave right then, my partner was out. 

When he got back, I went right on around there. It 
must have been about five or ten minutes after three, 
something like that.

Q. About ten after three on the afternoon of De­
cember 14, 1961, you arrived at the Johnston home in 
St. George?

A. Yes, sir.
Q. At the time of your arrival, who was present?
A. Mrs. Johnston and my wife, Mrs. Sharpe.
Q. Would you describe to the gentlemen of the jury 

Mrs. Johnston’s condition at the time that you arrived?
A. It was bad. Her hair was all tangled up. Of 

course, my wife got it straightened up, got it combed. 
Her face had a blue spot on it, her neck was red. She 
was pretty shook up and nervous.

Q. Was Dr. Johnston there?

115



22 SUPREME COURT
The State v. Moorer

J ames M. Sharpe
A. No, sir, that is what I went to the house for, 

to go and get Dr. Johnston.
Q. Did you go and get Dr. Johnston?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where was Dr. Johnston?
A. He was at Lincoln Green hunting.
Q. That is down near the town of Dorchester?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did Dr. Johnston return with you?
A. No, sir, he went in his car and I went in mine.

86 We came separately.
Q. Approximately what time did you get back?
A. I got back, I reckon, about ten minutes after four 

when I got to his house.
Q. What time did Dr. Johnston arrive?
A. He beat me about ten minutes but it was raining 

and I did not drive fast and I told him not to drive 
fast.

Q. When you arrived he was there?
A. Yes, sir.

87 Q. What, if anything did you do after you got 
there ?

A. Well, I went on back to work. There was nothing 
I could do. The doctor was there. The main thing I 
had to do was to get him. I carried Mrs. Johnston’s 
little boy and my two girls to my house to get them 
out of the way.

Q. You returned to your place of business?
A. Yes, sir.
Mr. Wolfe: You may examine the witness.
Mr. Pough: No questions.
(Mr. Sharpe leaves the witness stand.)

116



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

23

Dr. A. R. J ohnston
Dr. A. R. J ohnston, a witness on behalf of the State, g# 

being duly sworn, testifies:
Direct Examination 

By Mr. W olfe:
Q. I believe your name is Dr. A. Richard Johnston?
A. Yes.
Q. Dr. Johnston, where do you live?
A. Johnston Street, St. George.
Q. Dorchester County?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Dr. Johnston, how old are you?
A. Forty-eight.
Q. Are you married?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. I believe Mrs. Catherine D. Johnston is your 

wife?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Dr. Johnston, how many children do you have?
A. Four boys.
Q. Dr. Johnston, I believe you are a general medi­

cal practitioner?
A. Correct. 91

Q. Dr. Johnston, on this date in question, that is, 
December 14th, 1961, were you out of the city that 
day?

A. I was.
Q. Where were you at, Doctor?
A. Hunting at the Southern Railway forest near 

Dorchester.
Q. That is in the lower part of Dorchester County?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Dr. Johnston, approximately what time that 

morning did you leave home?
A. Seven o ’clock, just a little before seven, I guess.

11?



24 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Dr. A. R. J ohnston
9s Q. Was Louis Moorer at your home when you left!

A. No, sir.
Q. How long have you known Louis Moorer, the 

defendant who sits in court?
A. I reckon I have known him most of his life.
Q. Dr. Johnston, approximately what time did you 

leave St. George that day to go hunting!
A. I left a little before seven o ’clock. We have 

breakfast at the club house before we go out.
Q. Do you close that day in St. George or were you 

just hunting?
A. Yes, wTe close Thursday afternoon and I took 

that whole day off, that particular day.
Q. Dr. Johnston, during the afternoon of Decem­

ber 14th, 1961, did you receive certain information in 
regards to a happening here at your home in St. 
George?

A. I did.
Q. What time approximately was that?
A. It was in the neighborhood of three-thirty or 

quarter of four because I was home shortly after that. 
96 Q. As a result of receiving the call, Doctor, you 

came home immediately?
A. Yes, sir, I did.
Q. As a result of that, what did you do next, please, 

sir?
A. Well, as soon as I got the information of what 

had happened, I took care of my wife. She was in a 
state of shock. After looking her, following that I 
called Mr. WTlson Wimberly, the Deputy.

Q. Pardon me, before you get to that, state whether 
** or not you went to your home first?

A. I went to my home first, yes, sir.

118



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

25

Dr. A. R. J ohnston
Q. Was Mrs. Johnston there! m
A. She was.
Q. Who else was there, if you remember!
A. My sister, Mrs. Sharpe.
Q. As a result of information given to you, what 

did you do next!
A. Well, as I have stated, she was in a state of 

shock. I took care of that first and I told her I would 
take her down to the Office and make an examination.
I would have called Dr. Appleby to do the examina­
tion but he was out of town at the time. We had a 
medical meeting that night. I think he had gone down »  
to Ridgeville to his wife’s home and was going on from 
there to the meeting. So, there was no other doctor 
in town and it was left up to me to make the exami­
nation, to see just what had happened.
A Q. Doctor, did you make that examination!

A. I did.
Q. Doctor, would you tell the Court and Jury what 

findings there were!
A. When you make an examination for that, you 

aspirate the contents of the vagina and you use that M 
on a slide on the microscope. You may find dead or 
live sperms. In this case I found live ones. That was 
made at four-thirty.

Q. That was in your office!
A. In my office.
Mr. Wolfe: Your Honor, I know under the S u tter  

case and other cases that the Supreme Court has held 
that a party can be advised, particularly where a girl 
gives facts to the mother in these cases. I was wonder­
ing if I could ask the Doctor—I don’t want to tread 
upon the rules in Court—I never had a case exactly 
like this.

119



26 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Dr. A. R. J ohnston
The Court: Just ask the question and I will see what 

it is.
Mr. Wolfe: Dr. Johnston, did Mrs. Johnston tell 

you what had taken place ?
The Court: No, 1 will exclude that question.
Mr. Wolfe: Would you describe her condition in 

more detail, if you will?
A. When I arrived at the house, she was on the bed 

at the time. She was in a state of shock. Can I tell 
what I found on arrival?

The Court: Oh, yes, you can tell anything that you 
saw.

The Witness: Of course, she was in a state of shock. 
She was naturally somewhat better because my sister 
had been looking after her and had given her some 
ammonia and something as a nerve sedative before I 
arrived. She still had a bruised area on her temple, 
her throat was quite red wfhere she was choked. Then 
they carried me in the living room and I could see 
where the rug was all scuffed up and bobby pins, etc., 
were all over the rug where the scuffle had taken place. 
So after she relaxed and quieted up enough, I took 
off to the office to get things ready. As I say, Dr. Ap­
pleby was away from town and it fell on me to make 
the examination. She followed me on down, my sister 
brought her on down. The examination was made and 
I came on back home.

Mr. Wolfe: Thank you, Doctor. You may examine 
the witness.

Cross Examination
By Mr. Pough:
Q. Doctor Johnston, I believe the defendant had 

been working for you for several years, am I correct?
A. Part time.



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

27

Dr. A. R. J ohnston 
W ilson W imberly 

Q. Part time, on and off?
A. Yes.
Q. Doctor, during that time did the defendant react 

as a normal person in keeping with his age and ex­
posure?

A. So far as I know he did.
Q. Was he courteous?
A. He was.
Q. He was never boisterous or anything of that kind 

around the house?
A. No.
Mr. Pough: I have no further questions.
Mr. Wolfe: You may come down, Dr. Johnston. 
(Dr. Johnston leaves the witness stand.)

Mr. W ilson W imberly, a witness on behalf of the 
State, being duly sworn, testifies:

Direct Examination
By Mr. Wolfe:
Q. I believe your name is Wilson Wimberly?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Mr. Wimberly, are you one of the Deputy Sher­

iffs in Dorchester County?
A. Yes, sir, Deputy Sheriff and Jailer.
Q. Mr. Wimberly, how old are you, please, sir?
A. Forty-five.
Q. How long have you served as an officer in Dor­

chester County?
A. June coming will be nine years.
Q. Mr. Wimberly, in pursuance of your duties as 

an officer, state whether or not on December 14, 1961,

1 2 1



28 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

W ilson W imberly
you had occasion to be called in regards to the case 
now in hearing ?

A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where were you at that time, please, sir?
A. At the jail house.
Q. Approximately what time were you called?
A. Around four-twenty or four-thirty.
Q. As a result of information received, what did 

you do, please, sir?
A. Well, I immediately called the Sheriff.
Q. You called Sheriff Knight? 

no A. Yes, sir.
Q. You called him?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. After you called Sheriff Knight, I believe he 

lives near Summerville?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did you do next, please, sir?
A. Well, he asked that—
Q. You can’t tell what he told you. You conveyed 

certain information to him?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. As a result of your conveying certain informa­

tion to Sheriff Knight, what did you do next?
A. I called Deputy Sheriff Marchant and the Chief 

of Police, Jack Robbins.
Q. Deputy Sheriff Marchant and the Chief of Po­

lice Mr. Jack Robbins?
A. Yes, sir. We got in touch with the Magistrate 

and had a warrant fixed. We knew Moorer. I knew 
him before.

Q. How long have you known Louis Moorer, the de- 
m  fendant?

A. Oh, off and on, I imagine a year.

1 2 2



Appeal from Dorchester County
_____ SUPREME COURT 29

W ilson W imberly
Q. What did you do next, Mr. Wimberly!
A. Well, he came and we got a warrant from Mr. 

Walters.
Q. That is Magistrate H. H. Walters, Jr.!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. He is the local Magistrate in St. George, Dor­

chester County!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you then locate Louis Moorer, the defendant!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Where did you locate him at!
A. At his grandmother’s house. m
Q. Is that in the town of St. George, Dorchester 

County!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Following that, what did you do, Mr. Wimberly!
A. Well, the Sheriff talked with him.
Q. The Sheriff arrived!
A. No, he asked if we had him and I told him “ Yes” .
Q. What time did the Sheriff arrive!
A. He did not arrive. He asked if Ave had him in 

jail and I told him we had him in jail. He came the 
next morning.

Q. Did you arrest Louis Moorer after the warrant 
as you have described was issued!

A. Yes, sir.
Q. You placed him in the Dorchester County jail?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. At the time you arrested him was he drinking?
A. No, sir.
Q. He was sober!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. State whether or not he remained in jail until 

the next morning?

123



30 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

W ilson W imberly
A. Yes, sir.
Q. State whether or not the next morning, that is, 

December 15th, 1961, Sheriff Carl Knight of Dorches­
ter County arrived!

A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was a conference held with the defendant, Louis 

Moorer?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were you there at that time?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did Louis Moorer make a statement to you and 

the Sheriff and others?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was that statement made freely and voluntarily? 
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you offer him any hope of reward?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you try to force him to talk?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did he talk voluntarily?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you tell him of his rights ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was the Sheriff present?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What time approximately did that take place?
A. I imagine around ten o ’clock, maybe, ten-thirty. 
Q. As a result of talking with Louis Moorer was a 

statement procured from him?
A. Yes, sir.
Mr. Wolfe: Here is the statement, Your Honor. 
The Court: Don’t show it to me, show it to counsel. 
(Mr. Wolfe shows statement to counsel for defend­

ant.)



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

31

W ilson W imberly
Mr. Pough: Your Honor, we object to the statement 

on the grounds that the defendant has not—that the 
State has not shown that he had been advised of his 
right to counsel prior to issuing the statement and we 
believe that the authority for that is, sir, the Supreme 
Court of South Carolina and the United States Su­
preme Court, which states that a defendant taken into 
custody without being fully apprised of his rights, 
may, in effect, give statements which is in violation 
of his Constitutional rights in due process of the 
United States Constitution and therefore, we object 
to it being introduced in evidence.

The Court: Will you pass the statement up, please.
(Mr. Wolfe hands the statement up to the Court.)
The Court: For the present time, I am going to ex­

clude the statement.
Mr. Wolfe: May I examine the witness further?
The Court: Yes, but not with respect to that, how­

ever.
Mr. Wolfe: Was the defendant kept there that day 

or do you know how long?
A. You mean—
Q. I think you stated the Sheriff arrived about ten 

or ten-thirty that morning?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was he kept there that entire day?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. How long did he remain in the Dorchester Coun­

ty jail, if you know, approximately
A. I don’t know.
The Court: Has that got any bearing on this case?
Mr. Wolfe: Well, I did not know whether it would 

arise, Your Honor, or not.



32 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

W ilson W imberly 
Sheriff Carl A. K night

The Court: Very well.
Mr. Wolfe: I have nothing further at this time. 

You may examine the witness.
Cross Examination

By Mr. Pough:
Q. Mr. Wimberly, the time that the defendant spent 

here in jail, what was the general decorum of the de­
fendant? Did he act as a model prisoner or did he act 
as though he was mentally off?

A. No, he acted as a model prisoner.
Q. You did not have any trouble with him?
A. No, sir.
Q. He was courteous?
A. Yes, he was.
Mr. Pough: I have no further questions.
Mr. Wolfe: Come down, please, Mr. Wimberly.
(Mr. Wimberly leaves the witness stand.)

Sheriff Carl A. K night, a witness on behalf of the 
m State, being duly sworn, testifies:

D irect E xam ination
By Mr. W olfe:
Q. Mr. Knight, I believe you are the Sheriff of Dor­

chester County?
A, Yes, sir.
Q. Mr. Knight, how long have you served as Sher­

iff of this County?
A. Since November 21st, 1960.
Q. Mr. Knight, did you receive certain information 

about the case in hearing, on, I believe, December 14th, 
1961?

126



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

33

Sheriff Carl A. K night
A. Yes, sir, I received a call over the two-way radio 

system in my automobile at approximately five o ’clock 
that afternoon. The information I received from that 
call—

Q. You can’t tell what information you received. 
You did receive certain information!

A. I did.
Q. As a result of that information, what did you do!
A. I further advised the officer, Mr. Wimberly, to 

have a warrant prepared. Assign Mr. Cecil Marchant, 
along with the Chief of Police, Mr. Jack Robbins, to 
make the arrest.

Q. Following that did you come to St. George to 
the courthouse the following morning!

A. No, sir, I did not. I had just left the courthouse 
about an hour before that and I told them I would not 
be up until the next morning.

Q. That is the following day!
A. The following day.
Q. The day following the day of the arrest!
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Now, Sheriff, when you came up that morning, 

did you receive certain information then in your in­
vestigation !

A. Yes, sir.
Q. What did you do, please, sir.
A. Well, I went over to the jail.
Q. Did you have occasion to see Mrs. Johnston or 

Dr. Johnston!
A. I saw Mrs. Johnston that morning first; before 

X came to the courthouse. I went to see Mrs. Johnston.
Q. Yes, sir.
A. Mrs. Johnston—

1 2 ?



34 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Sheriff Carl A. K night 
Q. You can’t tell what she told you.
A. Mrs. Johnston gave me certain information.
Q. Yes, sir.
A. I then returned to the jail. I questioned the sub­

ject Louis Moorer, in the jail.
Q. Did he talk freely and voluntarily?
A. Yes, sir, I told him his rights. I told him that 

he had the right to get counsel and I also told him 
that any statement that he made, oral or written, 
would be used against him as evidence in the court. 

Q. Did he talk normally?
134 A. Yes, sir, he did.

Q. Did you threaten him?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you use any force of any kind?
A. No, sir, I did not.
Q. Did you coerce him in any way?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you make him any promise or hope of re­

ward?
A. I did not make him any promise at all.
Q. As a result of that, then, Sheriff, did he talk to 

you freely and voluntarily?
A. Well, the first thing I asked him—
The Court: Answer the question first.
Mr. Wolfe: Did he talk freely and voluntarily?
A. Yes, sir, he did.
Q. How long have you known the subject or the de­

fendant ?
A. That was the first time that I had ever seen him. 
Q. He knew you were the Sheriff ?
A. I don’t know. I told him that I was the Sheriff 

136 when I walked in and started talking to him.
Q. What other officers were there, if you remember?

128



35
Appeal from Dorchester County

S hkriff Carl A. K night
A. Chief of Police Jack Robbins, Deputy Sheriff Ce­

cil Marchant and Deputy Sheriff Wilson Wimberly.
Q. Approximately how long did you talk to him,

Mr. Sheriff?
A. About ten minutes, that first time.
Q. Did you talk to him later?
A. Yes, sir, about an hour later.
Q. Did you have a further conference with him?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Approximately how long was that?
A. .1 would say off and on for an hour.
Q. He made a statement to you?
A. Yes, sir, he did.
Q. Was that statement reduced to writing?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Who reduced it to writing, Mr. Sheriff?
A. My clerk in the office, Miss Margaret Segrest, 

copied the statement.
Q. Was he there when that was done?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Was any effort made while that statement was 

being prepared to threaten him or to do him any harm 139 

of any kind?
A. No, sir.
Q. Sheriff, I hand you a statement, is that the state­

ment that was prepared in your presence as well as 
the other officers and in the presence of the defendant, 
Louis Moorer?

A. Yes, sir.
Mr. Wolfe: Now, Your Honor, we would like to of­

fer this statement.
Mr. Rough: Your Honor, we still object to the in­

troduction of the statement on the ground as previous­
ly stated to this Court.

_________ SUPREME COURT

129



36 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Sheriff Carl A. K night
The Court: I think I will sustain the objection at 

the persent time.
Mr. Wolfe: Mr. Sheriff, will you tell us in substance 

what the defendant told you!
The Court: Oh, no, no, that would not be competent.
Mr. Wolfe: You may examine the witness.

Cross Examination
By Mr. Pough:
Q. Sheriff, during the time you were interrogating 

the defendant, did he spontaneously reply to your in­
terrogations! When I say spontaneously, did he an­
swer you freely!

A. Yes, he did.
Q. Did he show any tendency of resentment or any­

thing of that nature!
A. No, he showed no signs of anything of that kind.
Q. In other words, he was a very co-operative per­

son!
A. Correct.
Mr. Pough: I have no further questions.
Mr. Wolfe: Come down, Sheriff.
(Sheriff Carl Knight leaves the witness stand.)
Mr. Wolfe: Your Honor, would you please excuse 

the jury!
The Court: Gentlemen, you may retire.
(The jury retires to the jury room.)
Mr. Wolfe: Your Honor, we are almost ready to 

close and we felt, Mr. Jones and myself, that we did 
not know what reasons the Court had—of course, I 
appreciate the Court’s ruling—

The Court: You mean my excluding the confession!
Mr. Wolfe: Yes, sir.
The Court: Well, there is no question, so far, no­

body in the slightest has cast any question upon Mrs.



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

37

Sheriff Carl A. K night
Johnston’s testimony. The defense counsel has not U6 

asked her a question. There has been no denial of it 
at the present time. Now I don’t see any sense in of­
fering in something that is always available as to 
whether a confession is made, when nobody, so far as 
I know, has questioned the testimony of Mrs. John­
ston.

Mr. Wolfe: I appreciate that, Your Honor, and I 
felt also the same way but in studying the case and in 
cooperation with the officers, I felt I should offer it.
I felt it my bounden duty in view of the conditions 
instant. 146

The Court: It may become competent. If it is con­
tradicted, or any attempt to contradict it—but I see 
no necessity of injecting into this record something 
that the Court might consider prejudicial.

Mr. Wolfe: Thank you, Your Honor.
The Court: Are you through?
Mr. Wolfe: Yes, Your Honor, I am through.
The Court: Well, that is what I want to know. Does 

the State rest?
Mr. Wolfe: Just a minute, Your Honor. (Mr. Wolfe 147 

and Mr. Jones have a conference.) The State rests.
The Court: Bring the jury in, please.
(The jury returns to the courtroom.)
Mr. Wolfe: If Your Honor please, the State rests.
The Court: I want to ask the defense counsel, do 

you wish to offer evidence?
Mr. Pough: We will have one witness.
The Court: All right, you may proceed.

148

131



SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

51

The Clerk: Mr. Foreman, have you agreed on a 
verdict ?

The Foreman : We have.
The Clerk: Shall I publish it, Your Honor?
The Court: Yes.
The Clerk: In the case of the State versus Louis 

Moorer indicted for rape, verdict “ Guilty of rape. 
George E. Gelzer, Jr., Foreman.”  Gentlemen, is this 
your verdict?

All jurors answer “ Yes.”
The Court: Gentlemen of the jury, that completes 

your service in that case and you are excused until 
tomorrow morning at ten o ’clock.

(The jury leaves the jury box.)
The Court: Does defense counsel have anything to 

say before I pass sentence?
Mr. Pough: If the Court pleases, we would at this 

time ask the Court for a directed verdict n. o. v. or in 
the alternative for a new trial based on the facts as 
presented and the verdict.

The Court: Based on what?
Mr. Pough: The facts as presented and the verdict.
The Court: I overrule the defense motions. I think 

the case is amply supported by the evidence. As a 
matter of fact, it is such a case that it would be ex­
pected that the verdict returned would be returned by 
any fair and impartial minded jury. Let the defendant 
stand.

(The defendant stands.)
The Court: Do you have anything further to say be­

fore I pronounce sentence?
The Defendant: Nof sir.
The Court: The sentence of the Court is that the 

defendant, Louis Moorer, having been found guilty by 
verdict of the jury herein and the said defendant,



52 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Louis Moorer, being now duly arraigned before the bar 
m  of this Court and it being solemnly demanded of him 

whether he now has anything to say why the sentence 
of the law should not now be pronounced upon him, and 
he thereupon saying nothing save as heretofore said, 
therefore the sentence of the Court, as fixed by law, is 
that you, the prisoner at the bar, Louis Moorer, be con­
veyed hence to the County jail in the County of Dor­
chester, in the State of South Carolina, there to be 
kept in close and safe confinement until you shall 
thence be conveyed to the State Penitentiary as pro­
vided by law, there to be kept in close and safe confine- 

,os ment until the first day of May, 1962, between the hour 
of four o ’clock in the forenoon thereof and the hour 
of seven o ’clock in the afternoon thereof, upon which 
day and between which hours the prisoner at the bar, 
Louis Moorer, shall suffer death by electrocution at the 
hands of the officers of the law and in the manner pro­
vided by the laws of the State of South Carolina and 
may God have mercy upon your soul.

Mr. Pough: If the Court pleases, on behalf of the 
ao7 defendant, we would like to herewith give notice of 

intention to appeal upon grounds which will be later 
served.

The Court: Under the law, of course, that notice will 
have to be reduced to writing and served.

(Case ended.)
EXCEPTIONS

I. The trial judge erred in overruling the defend­
ant’s motion for continuance and change of venue, 
based upon the fact that the prosecuting witness and 
her husband are very prominent citizens in the com­
munity and that the husband being a practicing phy-

133



78 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

our Lord one thousand nine hundred and sixty-one, 
m  with force and arms, at Dorchester County Court­

house, in the County and State aforesaid, in and upon 
one Mrs. Catherine D. Johnston, in the peace of God 
and of the said State, then and there being, did make 
an assault and the said Louis Moorer then and there 
did beat, bruise, wound and ill-treat, and other wrongs 
to the said Mrs. Catherine D. Johnston, then and 
there did commit an assault and battery of a high and 
aggravated nature to the great damage of the said 
Mrs. Catherine D. Johnston against the form of the 
Statute in such case made and provided, and against 

*w the peace and dignity of the State.
Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the Jury, upon this 

indictment he has been arraigned and upon his ar­
raignment he has pleaded not guilty and for trial has 
placed himself upon God and his Country, whose 
Country you are. So that your business is to inquire 
whether the prisoner at the bar be guilty of the felony 
wherein he stands indicted or not guilty. If you find 
him guilty, say so. If you find him not guilty, say so, 
and no more. So hearken unto the evidence:

811
STATE’S EVIDENCE 

Mr. Wolfe: Shall I proceed, Your Honor?
The Court: Yes.
Mr. Wolfe: Mrs. Catherine D. Johnston, will you 

please come around and be sworn?

CHARGE TO THE JURY 
Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the Jury:
The State, by this indictment, charges the defend- 

s]2 ant with three separate crimes. One is rape, and that 
is the first alleged in the indictment; the second is 
assault with intent to ravish; and the third and last

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SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

79

is that of assault and battery of a high and aggra­
vated nature.

313

I charge you that before the State is entitled to a 
verdict of guilty of any offense, it is required to prove 
the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, be­
cause under the law of this State a man brought to 
trial is presumed to be innocent and that presumption 
of innocence follows him throughout the trial as a 
shield until the jury is convinced of his guilt, beyond 
a reasonable doubt. The burden is upon the State to 
prove the defendant’s guilt before it is entitled to 
a verdict of guilty, requires the State to prove every 
element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. That 314 

is to say that the burden is upon the State to prove 
every material allegation of the respective charges 
as contained in the indictment.

Now, by “ Reasonable doubt” , I do not mean a fan­
ciful or imaginary doubt because you can have such 
a doubt about anything. It means a substantial doubt 
growing out of the evidence or the lack of evidence 
and for which you can give a reason. It also means that 
a jury must have an abiding conviction of the guilt 
of the defendant to justify any verdict finding the de- m 
fendant guilty of any offense.

I charge you, Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the 
jury, the fact that the defendant did not take the 
stand and testify in his defense cannot be considered 
against him by you in determining his guilt or inno­
cence. The State still must prove the charge without 
any inference or help by the defendant’s failure to 
take the stand. Under the law of this State, a person 
on trial has the right to testify or not, as he prefers 
at his trial, and no inference from his failure to do n< 
so can be considered against him.

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80 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Now, in the trial of this case, Mr. Foreman and 
an Gentlemen of the jury, the law places upon you the 

responsibility of deciding all questions of fact. That 
necessarily means that you are the sole judges of the 
credibility of the witnesses who testify and the weight 
to be given their testimony. It is for you to say who 
shall be believed and who shall not be believed, if 
anybody. It would be highly improper for me to try 
to intimate in this charge how I might think you 
should decide any question of fact or what weight I 
might think you should give the testimony of any 
witness. And if I have said anything during this trial 

818 or should say anything during this charge, that you 
might think is an intimation on my part as to how 
you should decide the case, you dismiss that from your 
minds. Those are your responsibilities and you must 
assume them and discharge them manfully.

Now, coming to the charges embraced within this 
indictment which I told you were three, the first is 
rape.

Rape is defined as the carnal knowledge of a female 
forcibly, unlawfully and against her will. Carnal 

sib Knowledge means sexual intercourse. In rape there 
must be actual penetration, but the slightest penetra­
tion of the female organ by the male organ is suffi­
cient. It is not necessary that the hymen should be 
ruptured nor is emission necessary. So, the first ele­
ment that the State must prove beyond reasonable 
doubt to establish the charge of rape is that the de­
fendant had sexual intercourse with the prosecuting 
witness.

The second element that the State must prove be- 
s20 yond reasonable doubt to make out the charge of 

rape is that the female, the prosecuting witness, did 
not consent and the sexual act was accomplished with

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Appeal from Dorchester County

81

force and against her will. Force and resistance, 
either actual or constructive, is an essential element 
to constitute the crime. No particular amount of force 
is necessary if the will of the female is overcome. The 
amount of force and of resistance depend on the rel­
ative strength of the parties and the other circum­
stances surrounding the case, if any. Resistance and 
want of consent must be proved. While there must be 
resistance, if the female ceases to resist him on the 
fear of death, or great bodily harm, it would still be 
by force and therefore rape.

The second offense charged in this indictment is as­
sault with intent to ravish. Assault with intent to rav- 822 

ish is an assault with the intent to commit rape. There 
must not only be an assault but there must be an in­
tent to commit rape, not some other crime. The State 
must prove both elements beyond a reasonable doubt. 
Stated in more detail, assault with intent to ravish 
is an unlawful attempt accompanied with a present 
ability to commit rape upon the person of a woman. 
The charge means that a person has laid his hands 
upon a woman, with intent to force her to have in­
tercourse with him and has been unable to succeed sss 
in his criminal purpose. To constitute the crime, there 
must be some overt act in part execution of the de­
sign for rape, for the mere demand or solicitation by 
a man, either expressed or implied, that a woman shall 
submit to sexual intercourse with him even where he 
has the intention to force his demand by violence is 
not sufficient. The law does not make such a demand 
with such an intent a crime. The State must go far­
ther and prove an assault, and mere solicitation even 
with intent to force compliance, without any force or ^  
threat of any kind, does not constitute an assault.

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82 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

Now, the third and last charge is that of assault 
<26 and battery of a high and aggravated nature. That 

crime is defined as an unlawful touching of or injury 
to the person of another accompanied by circumstances 
of aggravation, such as, for example, the difference in 
the sexes, indecent liberties or familiarities with a 
female, the purposeful infliction of shame and disgrace, 
the putting in fear and other circumstances of an 
aggravated character. For a man to put his hands on 
the person of a woman in a rude or licentious manner, 
without her consent and against her will, is an assault 
and battery of a high and aggravated nature. If at 
the time his intentions were to force her to submit 
to sexual intercourse, it would be assault with intent 
to ravish. But in the absence of any intention to use 
force to accomplish sexual intercourse, it would be 
an assault of a high and aggravated nature.

Now, Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen, coming to in­
sanity as a defense to a crime, I charge you that the 
law presumes every man sane. Thus the burden of 
establishing the insanity of the accused is never on 
the State. Hence insanity, however caused, is an af- 

327 firmative defense and must be established by the great­
er weight of the evidence. That is to say, when you 
come to consider insanity the burden is not upon the 
State any longer to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. 
The burden shifts to the defendant before he is en­
titled to the plea of insanity. To prove that plea— 
not beyond a reasonable doubt as the State is re­
quired to prove its case but by what we call the great­
er weight of the evidence and there is no way to weigh 
evidence except by good judgment and common sense. 
You don’t do it by counting witnesses. It is a mental 
process. Evidence weighs which convinces you. So, 
when I say that a party must prove a proposition by

1 3 8



SUPREME COURT 83
Appeal from Dorchester County

the greater weight of the evidence, I simply mean the 
evidence on that proposition must be more convincing 
to you than the evidence opposing it, if any.

I further charge you that the defense of insanity 
does not impart any admission of the act charged 
which must be proved by the State as alleged beyond 
a reasonable doubt, because notwithstanding any af­
firmative defense which the defendant may plead or 
rely upon, the State must make out every material 
element in the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Now, what constitutes insanity? Since intent is an 
essential ingredient of crime, one who is so insane or 
mentally unsound as to be incapable in maintaining M° 
a criminal intent cannot be guilty of a crime or held 
responsible for his act. Hence, insanity is a complete 
defense and entitles the defendant to a verdict of not 
guilty. Under the law of this State the test is, did the 
defendant have at the time of the alleged act mental 
capacity sufficient to distinguish moral or legal right 
from moral or legal wrong and recognize the particu­
lar act charged as morally or legally wrong. Did he 
know right from wrong? If so, he would be mentally 
responsible. Otherwise he would not be and should m 
be acquitted as insane.

Stated a little more fully, in order to relieve one 
from responsibility of a criminal act by reason of 
mental unsoundness, the defendant must show that, 
because of mental disease or derangement or other 
mental incapacities, at the time of the act, he did not 
know that the act he committed was wrong or crimi­
nally punishable, either one or the other, because not­
withstanding his mind may be diseased or impaired 
or lacking in mental capacity, if he was still capable sj2 

of forming a correct judgment as to the nature of the 
act, as to it being morally or legally wrong, he is still

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84 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

responsible for his act and punishable as if no mental 
disease or mental incapacity existed at all.

Now, Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the jury, you 
will find one of six verdicts, depending upon how you 
decide the facts.

If you find that the State has made out a case be­
yond a reasonable doubt of the crime of rape, you 
have the privilege of returning one of two verdicts. 
One would be “ Guilty of rape”  and stop there. In 
the event you return such a verdict, it would be man­
datory upon the Court to sentence the defendant to 
death by electrocution. If you find the defendant guilty 

334 of rape, you have the privilege of recommending him 
to mercy in which event the form of your verdict 
would be “ Guilty of rape with recommendation to 
mercy” . Should you return such a verdict, the defend­
ant would be sentenced to imprisonment for a period 
of not less than five years nor more than forty years, 
to he fixed in the discretion of the Court.

If you find the defendant guilty of assault with in­
tent to ravish, you would likewise have the privilege 
of returning either of two verdicts. One would be 

aw “ Guilty of assault with intent to ravish” . If you 
should stop there, it would be mandatory upon the 
Court to sentence the defendant to death by electro­
cution. But again, if you find the defendant guilty of 
assault with intent to ravish, you have the right to 
recommend him to mercy, in which event the form of 
your verdict would be “ Guilty of assault with intent 
to ravish, with recommendation to mercy” . Should 
you return such a verdict, the defendant would be 
sentenced to imprisonment for a period of not less 

M# than five years nor more than forty years, to be fixed 
in the discretion of the Court.

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SUPREME COURT 
Appeal from Dorchester County

85

If you should find the defendant guilty of the last 
and third offense, which is assault and battery of a M7 

high and aggravated nature, the form of your verdict 
would be “ Guilty of assault and battery of a high and 
aggravated nature.”  In the event you return such a 
verdict, the defendant would be sentenced in the dis­
cretion of the Court at hard labor or by fine.

If you find that the State has not made out a case 
of either charge or that the defendant was insane, the 
form of your verdict would be “ Not guilty” . What­
ever verdict you find, Mr. Foreman, must be written 
on the back of the indictment under the word “ Ver­
dict”  and then you must sign it on the bottom line 338 

under which the word “ Foreman” appears.
Now, Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the jury, I 

charge you that the defendant is entitled to the ben­
efit of the doubt, reasonable doubt on every stage of 
the case and I charge you that even though the de­
fendant is required to prove insanity before he can be 
acquitted, if you have a reasonable doubt as to 
whether or not the defense exists, you resolve that 
doubt in his favor and acquit him. Likewise, if you 
should conclude that he is guilty, and you have a rea- »w 
sonable doubt as to whether or not he is guilty of 
assault with intent to ravish or guilty of rape, or of 
assault and battery of an aggravated nature, resolve 
that doubt in his favor and convict him of the lesser 
offense, which is assault and battery of an aggravated 
nature.

I charge you, Mr. Foreman and Gentlemen of the 
jury, that if you should find the defendant guilty of 
either rape or assault with intent to ravish, you do 
not have to—the law does not require a reasonable 
doubt to justify a verdict recommending mercy. As 
I have stated to you heretofore, those crimes as you

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86 SUPREME COURT 
The State v. Moorer

observe have the same punishment. Of course, the de­
fendant can be guilty of only one, if he is guilty of 
any. But if you find the defendant guilty of either 
rape or assault with intent to ravish, whether or not 
you recommend mercy is a matter resting solely with­
in your discretion and you do not have to have any 
reason for it at all.

You may retire, gentlemen, and if I decide to charge 
you further, I will send for you promptly.

(The jury retires to the jury room to begin delib­
erations.)

The Court: I want to know if there are any excep­
tions or requests for additional instructions?

Mr. Wolfe: Nothing from the State, Your Honor.
Mr. Pough: Nothing from the Defendant, Your 

Honor.

The Bailiff: The jury desires to return to the court­
room.

The Court: Have they agreed on a verdict?
The Bailiff: I don’t know, your Honor.
The Court: Bring them in and we will see what 

they want. I don’t want any demonstrations in the 
courtroom regardless of what the report is.

(The Jury returns to the courtroom.)
The Clerk: Mr. Foreman, have you agreed on a 

verdict?
The Foreman: We have.
The Clerk: Shall I publish it, Your Honor?
The Court: Yes.
The Clerk: In the case of the S ta te v. L ou is M oorer  

indicted for rape, verdict “ guilty of rape. George E. 
Gelzer, Jr., Foreman” . Gentlemen, is this your ver­
dict?

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

'OR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

COLUMBIA DIVISION

LOUIS MOORER, )
)

P etition er, ) CIVIL ACTION NO.
)

-VS- ) AC-1583
)

STATE OF'SOUTH CAROLINA and )
ELLIS C. MacDOUOALL, D irector, )
South Carolina State Board o f )
C orrections, )

)
Respondents, )

In

Columbia, S. C.

18 August 1965

HON. ROBERT W. HEMPHILL Presiding
United States D istr ict  Judge

APPEARANCES:

MATTHEW J . PERRY, Esq. , For P etitioner
FRANK H. HEFFRON, Esq.,

DANIEL R. McLEOD, Attorney For Respondents 
General
EDWARD B. LATIMER, Asst.
Attorney General 
E. N. BRANDON, Asst.
Attorney General 
Julian W olfe, S o lic it o r

J. D. SMITH 
O ff ic ia l  Reporter

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H effron 's admission to the Bar o f  th is  Court fo r  the purposes 

o f  th is  case.

COURT: Admission is  granted. Was he

privately  retained? Is he privately  retained?

MR. PERRf: He is  — four Honor, I would

lik e  to state that he Is one o f the assistant counsel in the 

O ffice  o f  the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund 

Incorporated.

COURT: A ll r igh t. Qlad to have you with

us, admission granted. And since there is  association  there 

is  no question about i t  and there is  no o b je c tio n , I'm sure, 

on the part o f  the State.

Mr. Brandon, appearances fo r  the S tate, p lease.

MR. BRANDON: Daniel R. McLeod, Attorney

General; E. N. Brandon and E. P, Latimer, Assistant Attorney 

General; Julian S. Wolfe, S o l ic it o r ,  F irst Ju d icia l C ircu it, j

COURT: Thank you, very much. A ll r ig h t,

Gentlemen, we had in th is case a p re -t r ia l  sometime ago and 

which order was f i le d  on August 4th, 1965; Counsel having 

appeared before me on July 14th, 1965, and the Court, as 

d irected  and advised by the Fourth C ircuit Court o f  Appeals 

and as advised by Counsel, representing the p a rtie s , reduced 

to w riting the resu lts o f  that p r e -t r ia l  in what is  known as 

a p r e -t r ia l  order. Does the P etition er, at th is time, have 

exceptions thereto or additions thereto that the Court's

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the P etition er to  be s p e c i f ic  that they be s p e c i f ic  as to  

the dates o f  papers referred  to  and/or the tine o f  f i l in g .  

Does Counsel think now that would prejudice the P etition er 

to  be that sp e c if ic ?

MR. HEFFRON: No, your Honor, we don 't think

i t  would prejudice our case.

COURT: I am mighty happy to  hear you say that.

Now, what p e tition  do you have reference to and what date?

MR. HEFPRON: Your Honor, I have reference to

the paper e n tit le d , Appellants — beg your pardon, your 

Honor, "The Ammended P etition  fo r  Writ o f  Habeas Corpus,” 

f i le d  on May 12th, 1965. Your Honor, I believe th is was 

f i le d  before the case went up to  the Court o f  Appeals and 

so we are presenting our contentions on the same p etition  

that was f i le d  in the Court before the appeal went to  the 

Fourth C ircu it.

COURT: Give me Just a second,p lease.

I have here a paper f i le d  May 12th, 1965, 

e n tit le d , "Ammended P etition  fo r  Writ o f  Habeas Corpus," 

dated May 12, 1965, to  which is  a ffixed  the signature o f  

Matthew J. Perry and to  which is  a ffixed  the written designs 

tion  o f  F. Henderson Moore and Benjamin L. Cook, J r . ,  

Attorneys fo r  P etition er, and which purports to  have been s:.i 

by Louis Moorer, who stands in Court today, before Matthew 

Perry, Notary Public fo r  the State o f  South Carolina.

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Is that ths paper Counsel re fers  to t

MR. HEFFRON: le a , a ir ,  your Honor, i t  i s .

COURT: A ll r ig h t , a ir . What page and what

paragraph?

MR. HEFFRON: I re fe r  to page 6 o f  the paper

Just referred  to , paragraph en tit le d  13 and then specifical|] 

to  part B o f  paragraph 13.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .

MR. HEFFRON: I f  the Court would not ob ject I

would lik e  to  preface my remarks —

COURT: The Court does not o b je c t . Counsel

o b je c ts , the Court only monitors the e f fo r t s  o f  Counsel,

I hope, to  help obtain Justice in th is  case. Oo right 

ahead.

MR. HEFFRON: Yes, s i r ,  your Honor. I would

lik e  to  read paragraph 13b. I t  begins:

"P e t it io n e r 's  sentence o f  death wa: 
imposed pursuant to  Section 16-72, Code o f  Laws o f  South 
Carolina fo r  1962, which statute is  upon i t s  face and as 
applied to  p e tition er  under the circumstances o f  th is case, 
in  v io la tion  o f  the Fourteenth Amendment to  the Constitu­
tion  o f  the United States, in  th a t:"

Now, the le t t e r  b ;

"Said statute denies p e tition er  
equal protection  o f  the law and due process o f  law under thu 
Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution o f  the United Statu 
in that there has been an unequal app lication  o f  said status 
and in that there is  and has been a long standing p ra ctice , 
p o licy  and custom o f  sentencing Negro men to  death fo r  rape 
upon White women while not in f l ic t in g  that punishment upon 
any other person,"

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First:, I want to  male* c lea r  that we are not 

waiving our contentions in  part A o f  paragraph 13

COURT: You cannot waive a con stitu tion a l

infringem ent, I don 't allow that in  th is  Court.

MR. HEFFRON: As to part b. Part b could have 

been drafted better  there but i t  does sum up the essence 

o f  our claim , but I would lik e  to  explain i t  some further.

COURT: Yes, a ir .

MR. HEFFRON: The contention is  that the crime

o f  rape is  treated in the Courts in  the state o f  South 

Carolina on two d iffe ren t le v e ls . The f i r s t  le v e l is  the 

case o f  the negro man sentenced to  — the negro man charged 

with rape o f  a white woman and here the penalties are often 

harsh and often  include the penalty o f  death. And there is  

a second category or le v e l in  the cases in  the state o f  

South Carolina. Those in which a white man is  charged with 

the rape o f  a white woman or a white man is  charged with

the rape o f  a negro woman or a negro man is  charged with

the rape o f  a negro woman. And in these cases almost never

is  the penalty so harsh as to  include the death sentence. 

There are exceptions. I t  is  true that in  South Carolina 

a small number o f  white men have been executed a fte r  

sentence o f  death fo r  the rape o f  a white woman although,

I b e liev e , that federa l reports w ill  show that no man has 

ever been sentenced to  death. I withdraw that. That no

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man has aver bean executed in the state o f  South Carolina, 

so fa r  as records show, fo r  having raped, having been 

convicted o f  rape upon a negro woman.

This claim is  not ea s ily  proved and i t  includes 

a great many things. I t  Includes reference to the fact 

that in South Carolina the Jury determines the penalty in 

each case and the Jury has unlimited d iscre tion  to Impose 

the penalty i f  the Jury finds that the Defendant is  gu ilty  

o f  the crime o f  rape.

COURT: Would you destroy the Jury system?

MR. HEPPRON: We do claim , your Honor ~

COURT: I say, would you destroy the Jury

system?

MR. HEFFRQN: I don’ t think I would destroy

the Jury system, your Honor.

COURT: Thank you.

MR. HEFFRON: We do claim that the grant o f

unlimited d iscretion  to the Jury to impose whatever penalty 

i t  desires Including the penalty o f  death allows and resultn 

in in f l ic t io n  o f  a rb itra r ily  harsh discrim inatory penalties 

against negroes who are charged with the crime o f  rape on 

white women.

There are occasions Involving particu larly  

atrocious crimes in which a white man charged with rape 

upon a white woman is  sentenced to death and even executed.

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But i t  is  our claim that we can show by the records aval lab! 

that there is  a discrim inatory pattern o f  sentencing those 

persons who are charged with the crimes o f  rape. The basis 

o f  d ifferen ce  is  race.

COURT: Let me stop you right there. Do you

understand the law o f  South Carolina at a ll?

MR. HEFFRON: I understand some parts o f  i t .

COURT: W ell, you are speaking as an o f f i c e r

o f  th is  Court now and I assume your erudition  here was 

enhanced by your study before you came here. The matter 

o f  sentencing in the South Carolina State Court is  frequentL 

not a matter o f  d iscre tion  because once the verd ict o f  the 

Jury has been Imposed the Court has no a lternative except 

in certa in  Instances and because o f  certain  leave except 

to  assess the penalty which the statute imposes, does it ?

MR. HEFFRON: That is  co rrect , your Honor,

COURT: W ell, why do you say that the sentences

are discrim inatory when the statute affixes a sentence, 

the Judge s it t in g  on the bench has to  be guided by the 

le g is la t io n  Just as I am guided by the National Congress.

In such sentences as I Impose under the United States Statuti 

I  have no a lternative but to  assess sentences In keeping 

with my authority nor do I .  Can I go outside o f  that?

I ’ m anxious to  learn because perhaps you w ill  explode a l l  of 

my theories o f  my re s p o n s ib ilit ie s , or perhaps that would be

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your advocacy?

MR. HEFFRON: I don’ t want to  do that, your

Honor. I would lik e  to  explain my p os it ion .

COURT: You see , you are making a statement

here as an o f f i c e r  o f  the Court. I demand from you a great 

re sp on s ib ility  because you are an o f f i c e r  o f  the Court. 

Justice is  your only desire as an o f f i c e r  o f  th is Court. 

That's the way we look at i t  as our profession a l responsible 

i t y ,  Justice is  our only d esire , our only ta rget, and when 

you make a statement as an o f f i c e r  o f  the Court I want i t  

to  be as correct as you in your erudition  may make i t ,  in 

an e f fo r t  to  make sure that Justice is  not besmudged by 

some misstatement as to  the resp on s ib ility  or the authority 

which you seek to  attack. Proceed.

MR. HEFFRON: In South Carolina when the Jury

returns a verd ict o f  gu ilty  as charged fo r  the crime o f  

rape then there is  no d iscre tion , the Judge must impose the 

sentence.

COURT: The Judge can commute to l i f e  imprison­

ment.

MR. HEFFRON: I beg your pardon?

COURT: He can commute to l i f e  imprisonment any

death penalty. Am I right in that, Mr. D istr ict Attorney?

MR. BRANDON: I believe not, your Honor?

COURT: Not in rape? He can on a death sentence
i

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in  murder.

MR. BRANDON: The Judge?

COURT: W ell, he has done i t  fo r  me a number

o f  times when I was s o l i c i t o r  and I was always happy that 

he did i t .

MR. BRNADON: I be lieve  that power is  with thB

Governor, four Honor.

COURT: All r ig h t, s i r ,  he c la r if ie d  i t  fo r  ui

Go ahead.

MR. HEPPRON: I t  is  our contention that the

Jury has the d iscretion  o f  returning a verd ict o f  gu ilty  as 

charged which resu lts  in the death penalty or return a 

verd ict o f  gu ilty  with recommendation o f  mercy, which then 

throws the d iscretion  in to  the Court.

COURT: Have you seen the indictment under whl

th is Defendant, P etition er was accused?

MR. HEFFRON: I have seen the written record 1

which reproduced that indictment.

COURT: Did that indictment Include f i r s t ,  th®

indictment fo r  rape and indictment fo r  assault and attempt 

to ravish and then the indictment fo r  assault and battery 

in a highly aggravated nature or not?

MR. HEPPRON: Yes, I t  does, Your Honor.

COURT: So, then, a l l  o f  those choices were

fo r  the Jury or not?

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MR. HEPPRON: I f  the Jury return* * verd ict o f

gu ilty  —

COURT: Whet were the choices o f  the Jury, I

•eld , because the Court record should show what the choices 

o f  the Jury were? Well, did they have those choices?

MR. HEFFRON; Yes, s i r ,  the Jury had choices.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, th a t 's  what I wanted you to

t e l l  me, e ith er  yes or no. A ll r ig h t, proceed.

So the Jury did have the choice o f  rape, g u il ty ; 
gu ilty  with recommendation o f  mercy o f  the Court.

MR. HEPPRON: That is  co rrect.

COURT: Quilty o f  assault with intent to ravish;

gu ilty  o f  assault and battery o f  a high and aggravated 

nature or not g u ilty , correct?

MR. HEPPRON: Yes, s i r .

COURT: Thank you, proceed.

MR. HEPPRON: The verdict in th is case was

gu ilty  o f  rape.

COURT: Yes, s i r .

MR. HEPPRON: I Just want to make i t  c le a r , I'm

not sure I made the poin t: That a Jury in South Carolina,

once i t  is  convinced o f  the g u ilt  o f  the Defendant, has 

complete unlimited and unreviewable d iscretion  to choose 

e ith er  a verdict leading to the death sentence subject to 

further computation by other authority or to  choose a verdic t

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which can not resu lt in  the (loath sentence, whioh is  gu ilty  

with a recommendation fop  mercy. I t  is  our claim that the 

South Carolina ju r ie s  have returned verd icts which show 

a pattern o f  much harsher sentencing in cases where negro 

men are charged with the rape o f  white women, and that the 

statute which allows th is  p ractice  is  unconstitutional, 

vague and in d e fin ite  and uncertain, resu lting  in a denial 

o f  due process o f  law.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .

MR. HEFFRON: That contention is  included within

although not w ell stated , In our paragraph 13b o f  the 

Amended P etition  fo r  Writ o f  Habeas Corpus.

COURT: WE11, i t ' s  stated in other parts o f  the

p e t it io n , is n ’ t i t ?

MR. HEFFRON: W ell, there is  another vagueness

ob jection  to the statute in the p e tition  which is  quite 

a b it  d iffe re n t .

COURT: The Court w ill  be happy to consider

that a part o f  B perm itting you to  araend the semantics, 

at th is time, the language, fo r  the purpose o f  having the 

Court’ s consideration.

MR. HEFFRON; W ill my remarks be considered 

such an amendment, your Honor?

COURT: I don 't know. You don 't have any o b je c ;

do you, Gentlemen?

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MR. BRANDON: No ob je ction , your Honor.

COURT: No ob jection  on the part o f  the State.

Yes, s i r ,  the amendment is  now before the Court. Proceed.

MR. HEPFRON: We began,when we raised th is claii

with a few unquestioned fa c ts . The Federal Bureau o f  Prisoi 

prints s ta t is t ic s  o f  execution in the United States, and 

they show that since 1930, in th is  country, in a l l  the stat< 

o f  the union the men who have been executed fo r  the crime 

o f  rape have been overwhelmingly members o f  the negro race. 

In fa c t ,  the only seventeen Jurisd iction s — the only 17 

states in the union which have allowed the im position o f 

death penalties fo r  th is crime in the United States have 

been those states which are considered southern states or 

border states with the addition o f  the state o f  Nevada.

These states are states mainly in which there is 

a high proportion o f  negroes in the population and they are 

also states having the h is tory , early h istory o f ra c ia l 

tension.

COURT: Now, Mr. Heffron, you c le a r ify  fo r  me

one thing at th is point? Are we trying th is case on i t s  

merits or do you wish to try the race question using th is 

Court and th is ease as a vehicle?

MR. HEPFRON: I think the race question Is very

much involved in the merits o f  th is case, your Honor.

COURT: I ask you to answer my question, p lease ,

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• ir .

MR. HEFFRON: X don’ t think I can choose one

alternative or the other.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .  Sou are an o f f i c e r  c

th is  Court, I w ill  have to remind you o f  that again. Sou 

see , we expect so much in tegrity  o f  our lawyers. Perhaps 

i t ' s  unusual but we think ju s t ice  would demand i t .

MR. HEFPRON: Sour Honor, I have been stating

what I believe to be fa cts  or what I contend is  the law 

or ought to  be the law. I don’ t believe I have been gu ilty  

o f  any m isrepresentations in th is Court.

COURT: Decessus.

MR. HEFFRON: The records in the State o f  Soul

Carolina since 1930 up to and including 1964 was that 37 

negroes had been executed fo r  the crime o f  rape.

MR. BRANDON: I f  four Honor please.

COURT: fe s , s ir .

MR. BRANDON: We ob ject to the presentation

In th is  form. Counsel is  obviously te s t ify in g . None o f  

th is  is  before the Court in any fashion what-so-ever. I 

don 't know what the purpose o f  Counsel's argument is  but 

i t ’ s pure testimony and we certa in ly  ob ject to that.

MR. HEFFRON: Your Honor, I would be p erfectly

w illin g  to introduce the copy o f  the Federal Report at the 

proper time, and I don 't mean my remarks to be taken as

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testim ony. I have attempted to  present th is  issue in a 

number o f  Courts.

COURT: W ell, suppose he brought out some artic

in various news media, which I don’ t  think are proper here 

even though you say that you are making a raoe issue out 

o f  i t ,  but I am going to  le t  you go as fa r  as I think you 

ought to  go and even further perhaps than you ought to  go 

as long as I don 't think i t ' s  prejucid ing the P etition er 

because 1 am going to  p rotect his r ig h ts . I see I have got 

to  to  some extent here more than Counsel.

But some time ago — I w ill  advise you now, 

your associate  Counsel has been advised — In some other 

cases I have ruled that ethnic d ifferen ces are not fo r  

consideration  in school cases. Other Courts have made 

d iffe re n t decis ion s. I believe that to  be the law, that 

there is  no consideration o f  ethnic d iffe ren ces .

Now, the thing that rea lly  concerns me here i s ,  

that i f  you go Into a l l  o f  th is  extraneous matter, which 

has no rea l app lica tion , unless you can re la te  i t  to what 

happened in th is case, does i t ?  Aren't we trying th is 

case, Insofar as the rights o f  P etition er is  concerned, 

in th is case? Would you try him or have him tr ied  or have 

his p e tition  heard on what other Courts did at other times?

MR. HEFFRQN: Your Honor, i f  we can estab lish

a pattern o f  discrim ination in the sentencing o f  Defendants

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chargad with the crime o f  rape and that d iscrim ination is  

based on race then i t  is  our contention that the sentence 

against our p e tit ion er  can not be upheld.

COURT: Suppose the state was so i ll -a d v is e d  ■

and I'm sure my state would not do th is — as to establish  

a pattern o f  crimes attributable on account o f  race; 

not because o f  any section a l d iffe re n ce s , which you seek to 

invoke your own purposes, that would not be proper, would 

i t ?  I wouldn't le t  them do that.

MR. HEFFRON: Your Honor —

COURT: This case is  a matter o f  Ju stice . This

case o f  race should not be tr ied  hew unless, in  this case, 

th is man's race had something to do with i t ,  right?

MR. HEFFRON: ?our Honor —

COURT: Unless, in th is case, his race had

something to  do with I t ,  what application  does a l l  the 

theory, s t a t is t i c s ,  or evidence o f  other cases have?

MR. HEFFRON: I f  th is man Is a negro, four Hon

and he is  charged with the rape o f  a white woman and I am 

saying that i f  he were not a negro and charged with the rap* 

o f  a white woman or i f  i t  were a white man or i f  he had beer 

convicted o f  rape o f  a negro woman the chances are astronomi 

ca lly  higher that he would have received a le sser  sentence 

than the sentence o f  death. That's how i t  e f fe c t s  th is case

COURT: fou believe Justice should be pred ica t

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on such a theory?

MR. HEFFRON: Yes, your Honor.

COURT: Proceed.

MR. HEFFRON: We must prove a pattern o f ra c ia l

d ifferen ces  in sentencing in rape cases and th a t 's  what we 

propose to  do to th is Court. To do th is causes a great 

many problems. I t  is  not an easy Job, as I said before , 

and we- have gone to  great lengths to  try to  meet the requir 

ments that such proof en ta ils  and i t  so happens that during 

th is  summer, while th is  case has been pending, a group 

o f  students and researchers have gone through the records, 

pub lic records in  Court Houses in the state o f  South Carolli 

Investigating rape cases over the period o f  the last twenty 

years between 19^5 and 1965.

They were provided with a very complicated form 

or schedule consisting  o f  28 pages and asking questions aboi 

the background o f  the Defendant, about the iden tity  and 

background o f  the v ictim , about the procedures, Jud icia l 

procedures follow ed In the case, and deta iled  questions 

about the circumstances o f  the crime.

COURT: Wouldn’ t that be en tire  hearsay?

MR. HEFFRON: Much o f  i t  would be hearsay.

COURT: E ntirely .

MR. HEFFRON: Much o f  i t .  Hearsay is  a very

substantial problem, a very serious problem, and to  present

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the evidence we have gathered, ra ise s , we acknowledge, a 

very serious hearsay problem.

COURT: Let me ask you something. In the matte;

o f  races; since the rules o f  Court applies to everybody, 

do they apply to  the negro?

MR. HEFFRON: Your Honor knows —

COURT: Or only when i t ’ s convenient? We apply

them to  everybody, we think, a lik e . Is i t  your theory that 

there should be some d iffe re n tia tio n  o f  app lication  o f 

Court rules because o f  race to  anybody, white, colored?

MR. HEFFRON: Certainly not, your Honor.

COURT: Very w ell.

' MR. HEFFRON: We present these schedules and

information on them would present a serious hearsay obJectl< 

or problem i f  they were objected  to . There is  an a ltern ate  i 

way to  present, In th is Court, the information we have 

gathered on the schedule.

F irst o f  a l l  I would lik e  to show what i t  is  I 

am talk ing about. I in v ite  a copy to the State. This is  

a blank copy o f  the schedule that was given In large numbern 

to the researchers who conducted th is  study.

(Document handed up to the Court)

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r ,  proceed)

MR. HEFFRON: We have made a d ilig en t attempt
at

and I believe a successfu l one to get/th e  records o f  every

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rape east occurring in aavaral counties in South Carolina 

over the period of the past 20 years* from all the availably 

information and from every available source to answer the 

questions on that 28 page schedule.

COURTi What are the sources?

MR. H E F P R O N : The sources are trial court record

Appellate Court records* in some oases* prison records.

Other souroes are A t t o m y s *  both for the State and for the 

Defense who participated in some of the cases* and o c c a s i o n ­

ally some of the sources are news paper r e c o r d s . Those 

were resorted to only when other Impossible sources were 

not available. I have gone a little too far too early and 

I want to come back and explain the theory Just a little 

bit more.

Our theory is that 37 negroes in the state have 

been exeouted for rape and five white men executed for rape 

and we acknowledge there are circumstances could be shown 

by the state or by anyone to justify such a disparity. For 

Instance* if the rate of crime* or* let's say, the rate of 

convictions for the crime of rape were in proportion as 

37 is to 5j that is, for every five white men who are 

convicted of rape 37 negroes are convicted of rape, then 

that figure as to sentencing would just correspond to some­

thing that is impartial, that is reasonable, not arbitrary 

and not unconstitutional. We contend this disparity and

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sentencing Is not justified by such a difference between 

the crime rates and the incidents of rape as between negroe|i 

and whites and further that the higher frequency of death 

sentences, in cases where negroes are convicted of raping 

white women, lsnot attributable to the fact that greater 

force was used, greater violence used, greater h a r m  occurre 

COURT: How could you possibly prove the truth

of that?

MR. HEFFROM: That was why we needed a 28 page

schedule.

COURT: Who made up the schedule?

MR. O E F F R O N : The schedule was made up by two

professors of the University of Pennsylvania.

COURT: Had either one of them ever defended

anybody for rape?

MR. HEFFRON: I'm quite sure that one of them

had.

COURT: Did either one of them e ver prosecute

anybody for rape?

MR. HEFFRON: I know one was with the office

of the United States Attorney for a few years in Washington, 

D. C. I don't know if he ever prosecuted any rape cases.

COURT: Has either one ever been to 3outh Caroll

MR. HEFFRON: I'm sure —  I can't state that,

your Honor. _______________ _____________________________________

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COURT: Have they *v*r set In on a rap* t r ia l?

NR. HEPFRON: 1 can only sp*ou lat*( your Honor.

COURT: I s n 't  a l l  o f  th is  speculation?

MR. HEPFRON: I was only speculating only as to

the answer to  that one question.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .  You see, fortun ately ,

you are making a record, which someone may think is  based 

upon some truth that you can v e r ify . You are making i t  as 

Counsel. Now, i f  i t ' s  evidenoe, i t ' s  evidence that must be 

tested  in the ligh t o f  truth , vera city , the rules o f  evident 

such as hearsay, the p ropriety , and application  in th is cast 

i f  i t  be your purpose to  seek J u stice , and I in v ite  your
r

adherence to  those ru les . Proceed.

MR. HEPFRON: We have sought together enough

information about —

COURT: Who is  we?

MR. HEFFRON: The Counsel fo r  P etition er.

COURT: Why, you don 't mean Mr. Perry and Mr.

Moore had anything to do with th is , do you?

MR. HEFFRON: Well, they contacted me and I had

something to  do with i t .  They contacted others.

COURT: Who e lse  did they contact?

MR. HEFFRON: W ell, I guess I don 't mind d isc lo i

ing to  the Court.

COURT: W ell, i f  i t ' s  honest and honorable why

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not d isc lose  i t ?

MR. HEFFRON: It  is  honest and i t  is  honorabls.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, thsn, l e t ’ s have i t .

MR. HEFFRON: Professor Anthony Q. Amsterdam,

o f  the University o f  Pennsylvania was connected with the 

study that was conducted.

COURT: What is  his t i t l e  and what does he do?

MR. HEFFRON: He Is a p rofessor o f  law at the

University o f  Pennsylvania, he is  a former assistant United 

States Attorney fo r  the D istr ict  o f  Columbia, former Clerk 

fo r  Justice  Frankfurter in the Supreme Court and Justice 

Hand in the Court o f  Appeals in the Second C ircu it . He is  

now In C a liforn ia  fo r  the summer.

COURT: We would be glad to  have him. You d idn1

bring him?

MR. HEFFRON: The time may w ell come when he

w ill  appear.

COURT: Here?

MR. HEFFRON: I don’ t know what h is commitments

are, your Honor. We hadn't contemplated i t  at th is hearing, 

your Honor.

COURT: W ell, a fte r  a l l ,  you are speaking as an

o f f i c e r  o f  the Court, you asked admittance here. Your motion 

was made fo r  your admittance which was granted.

MR. HEFFRON: Your Honor -----

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COURT: You see , we understand that whan Mr.

Wigmore wrote the rules o f  evidence, which he did so ab ly , 

that we would abide by the laws o f  evidence. Now, i f  you 

have any reason to say that we should not l e t ’ s get at that 

because I a® much concerned that we might be considering 

here something which is  improper from the standpoint o f  

evidence, plus the fa ct that you haven't related  i t ,  but 

I want you to  go ahead. As I say, we have got plenty o f  

time and I want to  give you plenty o f  time. X want to give 

you a l l  the time you want so go right ahead, s i r .

MR. HEPPRON: I appreciate th at, your Honor,

and i t  does take some time. We plan to  abide by the rules 

o f  evidence and we ask no exceptions fo r  us.

COURT: Now, who e lse?  You sa id , "we", l e t 's

get a l l  o f  the wes in  the record.

MR. HEPPRON: When I say we, I mean, Counsel fo

P etition er.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .

MR. HEPPRON: As to  the appearances, you asked

an in terestin g  question about whether or not Professor 

Amsterdam w ill  appear. I t  is  our hope that in approximatel 

60 days we w il l  have — have in order a s c ie n t i f i c ,  orderly

computational study o f  the data contained in the schedule 

that has been completed and that we w ill  be able to  present 

expert testimony as to  the s ign ifican ce  o f  those and, at

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that t in t ,  I t  is  not at a l l  unlikely that Professor 

Amsterdam w il l  appear In th is  Court, and, lndood, Marvin 1. 

Woolfgang, a lso  from tho University o f  Pennsylvania, from 

the eentor fo r  orim inologioal roaoaroh, would appear and 

explain the th e o re tica l, the a e le n t if le  basis o f  th is  

s t a t is t i c a l  study.

In b r ie f  i t ' s  our attempt to  show that negroes 

charged with white women received  harsher sentences and 

we know there is  a ra c ia l d iffe ren ce . The question i s ,  

is  there anything e lse  in  the cases that J u st ifie s  th is  

d iffe re n ce , and we are able to  t e l l  from comparing the 

schedules that we have gathered, we w ill  be able to  t e l l
r

whether a greater degree o f  v iolence was used by negroes 

than white defendants.

COURT: Mow, wouldn't anything they said be

based p a r t ia l ly , i f  not prim arily, on hearsay?

MR* HEFFRON: No, your Honor. The only thing

based on hearsay —

COURT: W ell, you said you got part o f  i t  from

the newspapers.

MR. HEFPRON: Yes.

COURT: How would the Court records r e f le c t

violence unless you researched the or ig in a l t r ia l  transcript 

How would you know?

MR. HEFFROM: We have researched or ig in a l t r ia l

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tran scrip ts where those wara aval lab la .

COURT: Yes, but you used a ta tia tlca  where

tbay ara not a v a ila b le , don 't you?

MR. HEFFRON: Wall, we looked at other aources.

COURT: W ell, the other sources are hearsay

sources, prim arily , a ren 't they?

MR. HEFPRON: In some cases they ara hearsay.

I imagine i f  wa present a schedule that has information 

based on those sources and i t ' s  not hearsay to bring him 

in  Court and have him t a l l  the Court.

COURT: What man, that to ld  you?

MR. HEPPRONj W ell, l e t 's  say, the man who 

represented the Defendant, the Attorney. We bring him in 

and he to ld  the Court.

COURT: Prom his re co lle c t io n  o f  what he heard

from the witness stand?

MR. HEFFROH: Proa his re co lle c t io n  o f  what he

knows about the case.

COURT: I t  doesn 't make any d ifferen ce  what he

knows about the case, he would have to have heard i t  from 

someone e ls e , wouldn't he? You are a lawyer; have you ever 

tr ie d  a case?

MR. HEPPRON: Yes, s i r ,  your Honor.

COURT: A ll r ig h t. What you hear in the case

is  what you hear from the Witnesses, is  that not true?

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HR. HEFFRON: Yes, s i r ,  your Honor.

COURT: A ll r ig h t , s i r .  Then i t '*  hearsay on

your part. Otherwise tho Lawyer oan gat up in fron t o f  tha 

Jury and naka any spaeeh and aay that thla la  tha fa c t ,  

not what 1 hoard but what I  aay because I heard I t  and i t ’ a 

tha truth because I heard I t ,  cou ldn 't he?

MR. HEFFRON: I think ha could vary w ell ta a t lf

as to  what ha —

COURT: Tha Lawyar before tha Jury?

MR. HEFFRON: Mo, s i r ,  not that.

COURT: W all, a ren 't we faced with tha same

thing?

MR. HEFFRON: Wall, tha lawyar who conducted

the t r ia l  o r  the lawyar who agreed to  the plea o f  g u ilty .

COURT: Wall, ha had to  t e l l  what he heard.

MR. HEFFRON: W ell, I'm  sura he could come in

and t e s t i fy  as to  h is knowledge o f  the case and that he 

would be an ex ce llen t source.

COURT: But you would le t  him te s t i fy  hearsay

as to  what he heard?

MR. HEFFRON: Wall, in  soma cases there are

exceptions to  the hearsay ru le .

COURT: What exceptions would that be?

MB. HEFFRON: W ell, there is  a business record

exception .

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COURT: We are talking about the testimony In

a rape case. I don't know of any business of rape.
MR. HEFFRON: Well, he keepe records, he has

his own file as to what occurs in a case.
COURT» Then he would have to testify business 

records are an exception, but a Lawyer's records are what 
he heard from his client or what he heard In the Courtroom 
are hearsay. Of course, if he heard It from his client he 
heard It, I think, at least, we consider it, in our effort 

in integrity here as privileged communication.
MR. HEFFRONi Your Honor, there is going to be

some —
COURT: You see, I am listening to you and I

want to give you a full opportunity and I am going to; but 
to break down the system of Jurisprudence is a very serious 
thing which I have some concern about even though I am not 
one of the policy makers, I Just do what the Supreme Court 
of the United States tells me to do, and I try to do it 
right and sometimes I make mistakes, of course. I am not 
one of the infalliblea, unfortunately. But when you start 
talking to me about hearsay testimony it is something I 
have concern with because if you Just take that rule out 
whenever it's convenient then, of course, our system breaks 

down, doesn't itt
_____________ MR. HEFFRON; We don't ask any special exception

U

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to  the hoarsay ru lo .

COURT: Wall, i f  you don’ t ,  I don’ t  think wo

havo any worry. Proeood.

I needed that statement to c la r ify  your p osition

Thank you.

MR. HEFPRON: I don’ t be lieve  we would be grantn

any exceptions to  the hearsay ru le , any that are not recogn:. 

as exceptions to the ru le .

COURT: You see , i f  you had some lega l reason

fo r  exceptions the Court is  going to give you the b e n e fit . 

That’ s the reason I asked the question , I am trying to get 

the whole p icture here.

MR. HEFPRON: I am not admitting or aeknowledgiJi

that our evidence is  not subject to  the exception o f  the 

hearsay ru le . I am saying, in  the main, our evidence can 

be presented without v io la tion  o f  the hearsay ru le . There 

is  some parts o f  th is study to  which a va lid  hearsay 

ob jection  may be raised. This is  the way we propose to  race: 

the o b je ction s , your Honor, or that problem.

We have, in  a box behind me, 355 o f  those 

schedules f i l l e d  out as beat they can be from available 

sources. Most o f  the information on those schedules and 

most o f  those schedules are very w ell f i l l e d  ou t, very 

completely f i l l e d  out with va lid  bonafled information from 

Irrefu tab le  sources such as transcripts and ease f i l e s .

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Now, i t  i s  our proposal we b« allowed to  present those 

schedules, those 355 schedules in evidence at the proper 

time. I f  that is  not allowed we w ill  subpoena the Clerks as 

Indeed we have subpoenaed one Clerk to appear here today.

And we w ill  go through the whole process, that the students 

took seven weeks to  do, in  th is Courtroom.

COURT: What q u a lifica tion s  do the students havn

in cid en ta lly?

MR. HEFFRON: They are co lleg e  graduates. They

have been educated or trained to do what is  b a s ica lly  — 

w e ll, most o f  i t  is  simply c le r ic a l  work.

COURT: Who trained them?

MR. HEFFRON: Your Honor, I don 't want to go

in to  a l l  o f  that.

COURT: W ell, I have to ask because you are

making a statement that you want to introduce something;

a l l  I am trying to  do i s  to  find  out whether or not there

is  any q u a lifica t io n . I think the Court should be advised

i f  there is  any q u a lifica t io n  o f  people you send out. I

suppose you sent them out or we sent them out, meaning the

three o f  you, since you say i t ' s ,  "we". You sent them out
i f

fo r  the purpose o f  getting Information and, o f  course/ they 

are properly q u a lifie d , I would lik e  to know i t .  I would 

lik e  to know what th e ir  q u a lifica tion s  are, why they are 

properly q u a lifie d , i f  they are properly q u a lified  and Just

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what tha whola thing Is a l l  about.

MR. HEFFRON: W ell, they have been trained by

P rofessor Woolfgang, whom I mentioned, at the University o f  

Pennsylvania, And th is is  a man that — certa in ly  he has 

q u a ilfloa tion s  in the f ie ld  o f  socio logy  and s t a t is t ic a l  

research and crim inologica l research. The day w il l  come 

when we w il l  l i s t  those q u a lifica tion s  with the Court.

Professor Woolfgang participated  in the train ing 

process o f  the students.

COURT: Is Woolfgang here?

MR. HEFFRON: Woolfgang is  not here today.

COURT: Where is  Woolfgang?

MR. HEFFRON: I imagine he is  in Philadelphia.

COURT: W ell, was he advised the Court was here

MR. HEFFRON: No, he wasn't.

COURT: When he sent h is people out on th is

research was he advised that th is  Court would be the possiblji 

recip ien t?

MR. HEFFRON: He was advised that the material

COURT: Was a l l  th is in  connection with th is

ease?

MR. HEFFRON: I t  was In connection with th is

case and several other cases throughout many other sta tes .

COURT: W ell, l e t 's  be honorable with the Court

and l e t 's  name the states and eases.

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MR. HEPPRON: I can do that, your Honor. Wall,

I can name some casts in  which the Issues we propose to 

prove have been raised.

COURT: I thought you said that th is was done i i

several states and in several cases and I requested, I f  l t ' i  

not p re ju d icia l to  the P etition er, that you name the states 

and cases because the Court would lik e  to be informed.

MR. HEPPRON: I can name the s ta tes , your Honor.

COURT: Very w ell, and name the cases. Thank

you so much fo r  your cooperation.

MR. HEPPRON: The states are, V irg in ia , North

Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, F lorida, Alabama, 

M ississipp i, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee.

COURT: Do you have the s ta t is t ic s  fo r  the

D is tr ic t  o f  Columbia, by chance?

MR. HEPPRON: We do not.

COURT: New York City?

MR. HEPPRON: W ell, rape is  not a cap ita l

punishment in New York City.

COURT: Chicago?

MR. HEPPRON: Rape is  not a cap ita l punishment

in Chicago.

COURT: W ell, what other states is  rape a

ca p ita l offense that you have the s ta t is t ic s  in?

MR. HEPPRON: Well ~

*5

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COURTS You see , I '*  sure you wouldn’ t  want to 

be partisan and se c t io n a l.

MR. HEFFRONi W ell, as I sta ted , the only 

sta tes In the union which impose the penalty o f  death fo r  

the crime o f  rape are those in the southern sections and 

border states with the exception o f  Nevada.

COURT: Do you contend that the state le g is la t e

do not have the con stitu tion a l authority to  define such 

penalties fo r  crime as the state leg is la tu res  may, in  th e ir  

wisdom and d is cre tio n , may find  necessary or proper fo r  the 

p rotection  o f  soc ie ty  and Justice?

MR. HEFFRON: We have a separate claim that the

sta te  leg is la tu re  may not allow the penalty o f  death be 

Imposed fo r  the crime o f  rape as a v io la tion  o f  cruel and 

unusual punishment. That is  one contention —

COURT: What’ s the penalty in the D istr ict  o f

Columbia?

MR. HEFFRON; The penalty in the D istr ict o f  

Columbia is  a lso  death fo r  the crime o f  rape.

COURT: Thank you. And you don’ t have those

s ta t is t ic s ?

MR. HEFFRON: We do not have those s t a t is t ic s ,

your Honor.

COURT: What other states do have? You say the

southern s ta te s , which are your targets today, are the only

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s t a t e s ?

MR. HEFPRON% Theft* are the only states In the 

union which have the penalty o f  death fo r  the crime o f  rap* 

except Nevada, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Maryland. That may 

exhaust them.

COURT: Do you have the s t a t is t ic s  fo r  those

sta tes?

MR. HEFPRONj Ve only have gathered s ta t is t ic s  

fo r  the states 1 l is te d  o r ig in a lly .

COURT: Why aren 't you at a l l  in clu sive? fou

don 't want th is to  be a section a l matter, I'm sure, do you?

MR. HEPFRON: We did i t  in  order to  preserve

the rights and liv es  o f  those whose righ ts and liv e s  are 

subjected to  i t .

COURT: I say, do you want th is to  be a section  

matter? Why aren 't you concerned with the liv e s  o f  those 

people in  the other states except those in th is particu lar 

section?

MR. HEPFRON: There have been no other — no

eases have been brought to  our attention  o f a negro —

COURT: But you want to  help everybody, don 't

you? Why not Maryland and Kentucky and Nevada and the 

D istr ict  o f  Columbia I f  your cause be on that plane.

MB. HEFPRON: Maryland because we d id n 't have

time, we planned to  do Maryland.

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time?

COURT: Whet about Kentucky, you d id n 't have

MR. HEFPRON; No, cap ita l punishment la on It* 

way out in Kentucky and we d id n 't expect i t  was going to be 

a problem.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r ,  you have answered the

Court's question , thank you. Go ahead.

MR. HEFPRON: You asked me to  l i s t  the eases?

COURT: Yes, s i r ,  I am hoping you w il l .

MR. HEPFRON: W ell, there is  a couple o f  cases

in Alabama.

COURT: Name them,

MR. HEPFRON: Swain v. Alabama.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s ir .

MR. HEFPRON: Aaron v. Holeman. That was a

p e tit ion  In the D is tr ic t  Court fo r  the D istr ict  o f  Alabama. 

COURT: How do you sp e ll that name?

MR. HEFPRON: A-A-R-O-N v. Holeman and Warden.

That's been remanded to the state courts fo r  exhaustive 

remedies.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .

MR. HEFPRON: There is  a case in Louisiana in

which th is  issue has been raised : Exrel Scott v. Henchey,

pending on State Habeas Corpus proceedings.

COURT: Yes, s ir .

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MR. HEPPRONs There was a case recently  decid 

by the Court o f  Appeals in the Eight C ircu it. That was 

an Arkansas case in which claim was denied by the D is tr ic t  

Court and the denial was affirmed by the Eighth C ircu it. 

P etition  fo r  C ertiorari has been f i le d  to the Supreme Court. 

And I point out that at the time that case was l it ig a te d  in 

the D is tr ic t  Court we did not have a box fu l l  o f  schedules 

about rape cases and now we do.

Cases a lso raised in another Arkansas case: 

Mitchel v. Stephens, pending in the Eight C ircu it.

COURT: You have a box fu l l  o f  schedules on

that case?

MR. HEPFRON: No, we — but we now have a boxj

fu l l  o f  schedules on Arkansas and we hope we w ill  get the 

opportunity to  use them on those cases but those cases 

have proceeded a l i t t l e  further along than th is  one.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r ,  name the other cases.

MR. HEPFRON: W ell, there is  a case o f  Alabam

v. B illin g s ley  and two other defendants in that case are 

consolidated cases. I am not sure o f  the names. Those 

three cases are down in Pederio County, Alabama.

COURT: Can you get the names at lunch

hour so the Court w ill  be advised, the names and the states?

MR. HEFFRON: Yes, s i r ,  o f  course, i f  ~

COURT: W ell, i f  i t  wouldn't prejudice your

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P etition er  fo r  the Court to  have tho fu l l  ben efit o f  your 

exp lora tion , I'm  sure at th is p o in t, would i t ?

MR. HEFFRONi Not at a l l .

COURT: A ll r ig h t , a ir , I w il l  ask you to

furnish ths rest o f  tho names to  tho Court, by l i s t ,  by 

tho end o f  the lunch hour. Prooood.

MR. HEF7R0N: Wo11, I want to  bo frank with tho

Court and t o l l  you how fa r  wo hare proooodod with th is  

survoy and how fa r  wo have not proooodod and a lso  the 

re la tionsh ip  to  tho motion I an about to  make.

Wo have done the studies and f i l l e d  out tho 

schedules on those forms on every case wo can find  in tho 

la s t  20 years. In those counties which wo studied there 

was a s c ie n t i f ic a l ly  drawn up sample o f  the counties in 

South Carolina ex is tin g  o f  approximately h a lf the counties.

COURT: Who drew that?

MR, HEFFRON* That was drawn under the auspices 

o f  Professor Woolfgang by profession al means that I don 't 

completely understand m yself, and that would require 

expert testimony.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .  Do you think i t ' s  a l l

right to  substitute the signs o f  the Ivory Tower fo r  the 

Courts o f  Justice?

MR. HEFFRON: I think the Courts o f  Justice hav<

often  found occasion to  make use o f  the ta len ts o f  those

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In the academic community.

COURT: No question about that, no quaatlon

about that, Wright on Pederal Courts is  the fin e st  book I 

have read from, no question about that. We don 't argue thajt 

1 agree with you. We Just don 't want to  pervert Ju stice .

1 beg Counsel to  have the same ambition. Proceed.

MR. HEPPRON; We have 355 f i l l e d  out schedules. 

There are some minor things to  be completed. I won't 

n ecessarily  state that at th istim e. So when the time comes 

i f  we want to  make certa in  law additions we would be allowed 

to . They are in s ig n ifica n t.

COURT: W ell, I think you had better  state now f

I apologise fo r  interrupting you so much.

MR. HEPPRON: I can state it very easily.

COURT: State the names of all the Witnesses,

all the people who have paid for or had anything to do with 

this, all the cases which has application to under your 

theory. You have stated all the states which it does and 

the states In which it does not. Any other information 

that should be in the nature of a full disclosure, since 

I'm sure, as you have said, unless you now take the positlor 

it would not deny the Petitioner's rights.

MR* HEPPRON: I don't quite understand your

Honor's remarks.

COURT: I want such full explanations from you

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o f  any and everything concerning th ie  as you fe e l  would not 

in  any way prejudice the rights o f  th is  p e tit io n e r .

MR. HEFFRON: Pine. We were discussing what

had not been completed about the schedules.

COURT: res , s i r .

MR. HEPFRON: I a* handing you a copy o f  a

white schedule, 28 pages, although they are unnumbered.

In there is  what we c a l l  a blue Insert. The blue insert is  

necessary to  write on. I t 's  a blue form. I w ill  hold i t  

up fo r  your Honor.

(Mr. Heffron holding up document)

MR. HEPFRON: This is  a schedule f i l l e d  out

and attached is  a blue back, and th is  Is necessary to be 

f i l l e d  out under certain  circumstances.

COURT: Not a pink r id er  attached anywhere.

is  i t ?

MR. HEFFRON: I don 't know. We have three

d iffe re n t co lo rs . I don 't think there is  pink.

COURT: I was wondering i f  there was a pink

r id er  attached, I would lik e  to know.

MR. HEFFRON: The blue one —

COURT: The blue one is  the only one you seek

to  Introduce?

MR. HEFFRON: Blue is  the only one.

COURT: A ll r ig h t , s i r .

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MR. HEFFRON: We ran out o f  blue riders and a

there i t  tone information to  be added.

COURT: I'm a l i t t l e  co lo r  blind is  the reaso;

I  ~

MR. HEFFRON: Blue riders are supplied and

we w il l  be adding a few blue r id ers .

W ell, I think I have explained the theory 

under which the survey was conducted and upon which our 

p roof w il l  re s t .

COURT: A ll r ig h t , s ir .

MR. HEFFRON: We have the resu lts . We have

data and what we do not have because we have not had time, 

is  we do not have a analysis prepared fo r  presentation; 

that i s ,  four Honor, I would say, hundreds o f  thousands o f  

b its  o f  information on the schedules. There are computers t 

are set up to  handle such vast amounts o f  information and 

we have arranged to  use those computers and under accepted 

methods to  analyse th is inform ation. This is  going to take 

approximately two months and th a t’ s only fo r  prelim inaries.

I be lieve  that we could rest on the preliminary studies 

fo r  the purpose o f  th is  case.

Until that study is  in everyone is  in the dark 

except fo r  what’ s in that box, except to  the amounts o f  

paper. And I hesitate to introduce in th is Court amounts 

o f  paper about which we have some Ignorance.

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COURT; Some what?

MR* HBFPRON: Sob* ignorance. We have — I hk
not digested a l l  the Information in that box o f  paper end 

no one e lse  has* We have made arrangements to have p r o fe s s ­

iona l persons who have available computers who can take 

these schedules and run them through the computers so to 

speak, and come out with certa in  s t a t is t i c a l  conclusions.

And i t  is  our earnest request o f  th is  Court that we be 

allowed two months in which to  produce that study. At that 

time we w ill  show the study to  the State and to  the Court 

and, we w il l  say, you have seen our data and th is  is  our 

studyj do you want to  force  us to  prove that by ca llin g  

court clerks throughout the State o f  South Carolina, puttinf: 

them on or w ill  you accept our presentation , our a ffid a v its , 

that the information was gathered honestly and by accepted 

means. At that time we can present expert testimony to 

explain the s ign ifica n ce  o f  th is  data and# I think, that 

we can avoid hearsay problems because there would be no 

ob jection  raised i f  —  A fter a l l ,  i t  might turn out, conceit 

but we don 't have much fear o f  that.

COURT; Have much what, fear? Pear o f  what?

MR. HBFPRON: I say that i t ' s  conceivable that

I t  * s Information in those schedules damaging to our position  

That's what I say I don 't have much fear o f  but there is  a 

p o s s ib i l i ty .

5*

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COURT: AU r ig h t, a ir ,  I Just want to  make

sure o f  what you faar.

MR. HEPPRON: A fter a l l ,  p e t it io n e r 's  counsel

have gone to  great trouble and expense in order to  present 

a l l  the proof that can be gathered and I know the Court 

wants to  get th is case disposed o f  as quickly as p oss ib le .

COURT: I an at your d isp osa l, le t  there be

no question about that. Unless somebody misreads the record 

I am going to be here at your d isp osa l, so you proceed.

MR. HEFPRON: I t  is  our request, and I w ill  pu
%

i t  in  the form o f  a motion; we be allowed a stay o f  proceed:, 

fo r  s ix ty  days in order to  have time to  produce a s ta t is t ic s  

study analysis based on s c ie n t i f ic  methods fo r  presentation 

in th is  Court.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r ,  I w il l  ask you: When

did you start th is supposed studyt

MR. HEPPRON: We began thinking about th is stn

COURT: Who i s ,  "We began thinking about i t ? "

MR. HEPPRON: I would say lawyers in New fork

with whom I am associated and Professor Amsterdam, possibly  

two years ago, began thinking about such a study and the 

thoughts d id n 't c ry s ta llis e  u n til early in the spring o f  

th is year. P inally  we mapped out a plan o f  action  and we 

d id n 't have the manpower. We had to  wait u n til the summer 

when the students would be ava ila b le , q u a lified  students

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who wore willing to work at lost than reasonable wages, 
to help us gather the information.

South Carolina, we had one team of researchers 
go into South Carolina the day after they finished their 
training In Philadelphia.

COURT: What day was that?

MR. HEPFRON: June 21, 1965 and they arrived

here June 22, 1965 and the group was here until August 3rd, 
this year gathering the data we have here today.

I had a conference with Professor Woolfgang, 

oh, I would say, soon thereafter, within a week or two after 
that, and he had Just returned from Puerto Rico, discussion 
ways and means of putting this information into a comprehem 
but brief document so that the Issues in the case could be 
made much more understandable to the Court and Counsel on 
both sides. And we formulated the plan. He originally 
told am would take a year and a half. 1 said, "We need 
something faster.” He said, "Well,a less elaborate study 
on one state, you pick the state” and I said, "South Carolln 
Really, he said two states and I picked another and South 
Carolina was one of the states we chose and he said, "we 
could have a preliminary study worked up on that state in 
about two months and that's as early as we could hope.”

COURT: All right, sir.
MR. HEFPROH: I present that motion at this time

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COURT: Mow, Mr. Attorney General, we hare th is

problem. I hare, o f  course, given Counsel a l l  the time he 

wished. I don 't be lieve  you can complete your argument, 

o r  can you complete i t  in  f i f t e e n  minutes?

MR. BRANDON: I would p re fer , i f  i t ' s  the Court’

p leasure, to  —

COURT: I t  i s n 't  the Court's pleasure ~

MR. BRANDON: This i s ,  o f  course, a l l  new to

u s .

COURT: — I'm trying to  make sure that Counsel 

get a fu l l  opportunity to  explore th is matter in  every 

fa ce t o f  i t  because i t  seriou sly  a ffe c ts  the system o f  

jurisprudence in  th is  s ta te , and I am most seriou sly  concern 

with the C onstitutional rights o f  the P etition er here. 

Recognising that perhaps that may not be the concern o f 

some others but I  have to  protect that absolu tely . Now, 

in  keeping with that p o licy  o f  the Court which I am directe< 

not only by the Constitution o f  the United States, the 

Supreme Court o f  the United S ta te s ,fo r  the Fourth C ircu it 

and by the train ing I have received but I don 't want to 

prejudice you by saying you can complete the thing in 

f i ft e e n  minutes i f  you need th irty  or th irty  i f  you need 

fo r ty . I t 's  ju s t  lik e  I d id n 't ask him to  hurry up at any 

time. And, as I say, the Court is  at your d isposa l. I 

had in  mind perhaps recessing now u n til 2:00 o 'c lo c k  since

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the Gentlemen has some s t a t i s t i c s ,  names, cases, and so on, 

or  other Inform ation, 1 hope, he w il l  provide fo r  us, which 

he says Is not prejudicia l to  the P it lt lo n e r 's  r ig h ts . So 

I f  that wouldn't Inconvenience you I would lik e  to  take a 

recess u n til 2:00 o 'c lo c k  or  would I t  Inconvenience the 

NAACP to  take a recess u n til 2:00 o 'c lo c k . I t  would not, 

s ir ?

MR, HEFPRON: Your Honor —

COURT: A ll r ig h t , s i r ,  we w ill  take a recess.

You say I t  would not?

MR. HEFFRON: I Just responded to  your question,

your Honor. I can 't respond to  that. Because I don 't 

speak fo r  the NAACP«

COURT: W ell, fo r  whom ever you represent,

whether I t 's  the NAACP or some facet o f  I t  or some conneotlo 

with I t ,  th a t 's  not Inconvenient, Is  i t ?

MR. HEFFRON: In my capacity o f  one o f  the

Counsel fo r  P etition er I concur with what Mr. Perry has 

sa id .

COURT: Thank you very much. We w il l  recess

u n til 2:00 o 'c lo c k .

< Recess)

(2:06 P.M.)

COURT: A ll r ig h t , bring the P etition er back.

(P etition er  In Courtroom)

5 «

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COURT: Nov, Mr. Heffron, just to got tht reoorc

straight, I bolitvo I was somewhat u ndor confusion that 

y o u  represented tho NAACP. Just w h o  Is It you represent?

MR. HEFFRON s I roprosont tho Potitlonor.

COURT: I moan, who Is It that sont you here?

You said NAACP and I didn't exactly know what you meant by 

that.

MR. H B F F R O N : Wall, Mr. Porry contacted mo

through ay office. I an employed and paid by NAACP legal 

defense and educational fund Incorporated. I do not repress 

then. X am a Lawyer w h o m  they have hired among others to 

cooperate with other Lawyers In the defense of persons 

w h o m  we believe to have depravation of constitutional rlghta

COURT: So some organisation hired you?

MR. HEFFRON: It's like a legal aid organisation

almost like a civil rights organisation, that's who I work 

fo r  and I joined In the defense, In the representation of 

the Petitioner.

COURT: But you only appear In NAACP cases

that they have some —

MR. HEFFRON: X guess any case that X appear In,

by definition, beoomes a ease of NAACP.

COURT: X don't know what yo u  mean by NAACP by

definition?

MR. HEFFRON: Well, just because I am employed

0
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by than and they pay ay expenses as wal l  as ay salary, I 

Imagine any observer w ould ba Justified in saying that this 

la a easa In which tha NAACP legal defense fund Is envolved

COURT: But Mr. Parry sought you out, you d i d n ’t

seek h i m  out?

MR. H E F F R O N : He sought us out. We have worked

with Mr. Parry in many other casas.

C O U R T : And tha organisation has adaquate funds

to pay y o u  entirely, does It not?

MR. HEFFRON: It does have those funds solicited

by voluntary contributions.

COURT: Who Is president of tha organisation?

MR. HEFFRON: The president of the organisation

Is the Honorable Frances E. Rivers, a former judge of the 

Civil Court of the State of New York; the director counsel 

Is Mr. Jac k  Greenberg.

COURT: Oreenberg?

MR. H E F F R O N : Yes, and he Is the operating head

and acting director.

COURT: All right, sir, now, yo u  were going to

state into the record hare for us some Information. I hope 

I gave yo u  enough time. Did you gat the Information?

MR. HEFFRON: I did gat that information, your

Honor.

COURT: All right, let's have It If it's not

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preju d iea l to  the P etition er.

MR. HIFFRON: Among the oases — I think i t ’ s

important fo r  the Court to rea lize  the issue we are present:.! 

th is  morning and th is afternoon is  being presented in Severn: 

other cases throughout several other states and th is  could 

w ell become a land-mark case and very very w ell could — 

th is  is  the f i r s t  case in  which we have been able to  come 

in to  Court with the gathered data and there w il l  be other 

oases in  the very near future in  which we would be able to 

do that.

COURT: Yes, s i r .

MR. HEFFRON: One o f  those cases is  the State

o f  Alabama v William B illin gsley  Jr.

COURT: You named that before lunch, I think.

MR. HEFFRON: We did name that. Edwards County

C ircu it Court No. 7^3 in the state o f  Alabama, and the 

companion case to  that is  the State o f  Alabama v Robert 

Hawthorne, Edward County C ircu it Court No. and s t i l l

another companion case is  the State o f  Alabama v James 

L_i _d-D-E-L-L, Edward County C ircuit Court No. 7^5. And 

in a l l  three o f  those cases there was a sentence o f  death 

upon conviction  o f  rape and a motion fo r  new t r ia l  is  pendir.

There is  one other case that I have knowledge ol 

which I neglected to mention th is morning. That is  the cast 

o f  Craig v F lorida , pending presently in  the Supreme Court

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o f  tho stut# o f  F lorid * . And th a t 's  * useful esse because 

In that case there was a s ig n ifica n t amount o f  information 

gathered. The Information was not as deta iled  as I t  is  

In the study that was conducted fo r  th is  case but i t  was 

quite deta iled  and a fa ir ly  comprehensive report written 

about i t  and that information was presented in to  the T ria l 

Court fo r  the purposes o f  proving the con stitu tion a l 

a llegation s which are sim ilar to  those in  th is  case. And 

the State there stipu lated  fo r  the purposes o f  the motion 

that those fa cts  could be considered as true in that postun 

The case is  now before the Supreme Court o f  F lorida follow ii 

the denial motion by the T ria l Court in  F lorida.

COURT: Except in  a sta te  where you have descrll

as a southern s ta te , has your organisation appeared?

MR. HEPPRON: I t  appeared in a few cases in the

northern s ta te s , your Honor*

COURT: How many eases approximately? You say,

*a few ," and what states?

MR. HEFFRON: X only know about f iv e  or ten and

X might not be able to  l i s t  that many. Ohio is  one.

COURT: What sort o f  case in Ohio?

MR. HEFFRON: A housing ease in Ohio, a case

against rea l esta te  brokers. The contention is  rea l estate 

brokers in  Toledo, Ohio are v io la tin g  the Anti Trust Laws 

by excluding negroes from membership in  the organisation ,

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1 by refusing to  soil houses to  certa in  negroes in certain  

designated portions o f  the c it y .  And I be lieve  there are 

three or four other cases, state cases o f  the same nature 

in  V irg in ia .

We have — I be lieve  we are involved in a 

case, some o f  our lawyers are Involved In the case in Chlcajg 

Involving the desegregation o f  schools in  the c ity  o f  

Chicago and beyond that my knowledge is  lim ited .

COURT: I certa in ly  thank you. A ll r ig h t , Mr

Attorney General, X w ill  hear from you.

MR. BRANDON: May i t  please the Court, the Attornej

General, Mr. McLeod asked me to  have him excused from the Cpurt.

COURT; C ertain ly , he has Just moved his offijs# 

and he is  overworked, I understand.

MR. BRANDON; Thank you, four Honor. In opposing 

th e ir  motion fo r  continuance o f  th is matter fo r  60 days we, 

o f  course, would note that they have had th is  matter over 

two years, as Your Honor heard counsel s ta te , and they only 

started th is spring to  gather the s ta t is t ic s  such as they 

are. We, o f  course, think that that in I t s e l f  would be 

enough to  deny the motion in th is p articu lar case. We are 

n ot, at any time, admitting that the supposed s ta t is t ic s  

or records that they have, have any relevancy on th is matte^

And, to  make the record c le a r , I would lik e  to  s ta te , at 

th is  time, a lso  that In the event the s ta t is t ic s  are secure:

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and placed in what they consider proper fora or correlated  

or handled in whatever matter i t  might be, the State would 

not even, in  that event* stipu la te  that they would be 

admitted. We wouldn’ t do that even i f  we were convinced 

o f  the absolute accuracy o f  the statements. We think th is 

is  a matter, i f  i t  ever comes before the Court, w ill  have 

to  be lit ig a te d  with a l l  rights reserved fo r  the State fo r  

cross examination or such moves as i t  thinks proper. We, 

o f  course, and th is is  not en tire ly  relevant to  the 

argument at th is time, think that they are absolutely hear­

say.

Arguing fo r  a moment on the merits o f  th is maf 

we could , o f  course, bring s ta t is t ic s  In to show the to ta l 

number o f  arrests in th is country fo r  crim es, including 

the crimes o f  fo rc ib le  rapes, to  show how many are white 

and how many are negro, and in comparison with the to ta l 

number. We, o f  course, don’ t think that —

COURT; Don’ t you think they would ob ject to  

that on the grounds that i t ’ s hearsay, and properly ao?

MR. BRANDON: I surely do, and we don’ t  think

i t ' s  relevant at a l l  and fo r  that reason I w il l  not mention 

the matter, Further, I would say that we have them avallab: 

We think the contention that is  made, that i t  

certa in ly  a fan tastic  one and i t  reaches far out in to  l e f t  f i i  

I t  could never have any useful purpose or p ra ctica l applicati<

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Bv«n i f  they secured what they hoped to  determine to  be a 

land-nark decision  in the matter how would i t  ewer work? 

Would you have a quota fo r  conviction# in  certa in  counties 

o f  the sta te  and i f  you went in to  prosecute a negro fo r  

fo r c ib le  rape on a white woman and you pulled out the box 

to see previous convictions and show there were so many 

white and so many negroes and that was not in  the proper 

proportion  would you have to  wait u n til you f i l l e d  the 

quota fo r  white u n til you prosecuted? And suppose a 

prosecution was pending in  one county and a prosecution 

pending in  another county at the same time, would each o f  

them have to  wait u n til the other one tr ied  th e ir  case 

u n til they could go ahead? How would i t  ever work? Why 

wouldn’ t  i t  apply to other crime#?

I think* in  getting back to  s ta t is t ic s  — I 

said I hoped I could stay away from them but there could 

be Instances that show that there are other orlmes which 

negroes do not commit In the greater proportion to  the 

whites as i t  is  o f  rape. Would i t  apply there i f  there 

were more than the proper amount o f  convictions? We think 

that the matter is  u tterly  fa n ta stic , that there would 

be no p ossib le  way to  evaluate a situ ation  o f  th is  s o r t , 

that i f  a Defendant can’ t show discrim ination in the s e le c t ! 

or in  the paneling o f  the Jury in some manner that there ia 

no other way i t  could possib ly  be shown in th is  s ta te , the

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question being l e f t  up, e n t ire ly , to  the d iscretion  o f  the 

Jury as to  the punishment*

COURT: W ell, o f  course, you know the people

that would destroy our system o f  Jurisprudence would be 

the f i r s t  to  attack the Jury system because ever since 

Runny Mead we have had the fin est system o f  Jurisprudence 

in modem c iv i l i s a t io n ,  the English-speaking people.

I believe  they celebrated recently  the dedica ; 

o f  some property to  the la te  and beloved President Kennedy 

and that was emphasised, and I am happy to  say, widely 

p u b lic ised .

MR. BRANDON: We think, o f  course, unless the

defendant can show some concrete plausable deprivation o f  

con stitu tion a l rights to th is  Court that there is  no Juris­

d iction  in the Court to  grant him r e l i e f .

I would lik e  to say, at th is  tim e, that i f  tb* 

defendant can show the deprivation o f  a con stitu tion a l righs 

the State w ill  certa in ly  agree to a new t r ia l  at any time 

that i t  can be shown.

COURT: I think that should be the attitude or

the State o f  South Carolina at a l l  tim es, that I f  an 

infringement o f  deprivation o f  con stitu tion a l rights were 

proven, the State would consent to  a new t r ia l .  And I 

commend you on that attitude because I think i t ’ s proper.

MR. BRANDON: With reference to  th is proposed

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form that they have shown here and upon which they say 

th e ir  inform ation is  to  be corre la ted , there are many, many 

things that are perhaps o f  no relevance. The whole thing 

is  Irrelevant but there are pages hero that give inform atio 

about the v ictim . I t  would be Just as lo g ica l meeting 

out punishment, that the thing is  proper in th is  ca se , that 

the victim  be consulted sometime a fter  the crime and i f  i t  

be shown that she recovered properly and suffered  no lastlni

physical damage that the defendant be given a lig h ter  

sentence, maybe even turned lo se , but I f  i t  be shown she 

su ffered  a te r r ib le  mental breakdown that he be punished 

more severely . We think that would be equally lo g ic  and 

we certa in ly  urge th at, as a matter o f  contrast, to  show th 

u tter l l l o g i c ,  to  show the u tter irre levan ce, the u tter , 

we think, in cap ab ility  o f  any p ra ctica l application  by i t  

should It  be adjudged/which we do not in any way agree to . 

The thing would Involve, in getting to th is  ultimate 

I l l o g ic a l  conclusion , a system o f  t r ia l  by p o ll  taking or 

perhaps you would run a column in the newspaper about i t  

and le t  people send in  what they think should happen in the 

case .

We think the matter should be confined to  what 

has happened to  th is defendant. We don 't think i t  has been 

shown, we do not think that i t  can be shown, that he suffer* 

any con stitu tion a l deprivation o f  r ig h ts .

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COURT* A ll r ig h t , Mr. H effron, do you or your 

Associate Counsel wish to  reply to  the argument o f  the 

Assistant Attorney General?

MR. HEPFRONt Yes, s i r ,  your Honor, we do Just 

b r ie f ly .  My f i r s t  point would be that we have not had th is  

ease fo r  two years. We have been considering th is problem, 

the problem o f  what the term discrim inatory sentencing is  

fo r  about two years. But Mr. Perry f i r s t  became associated 

in th is  case on November 28, 1964 and I became associated  

th erea fter .

COURT: Suppose you a l l  quit today and somebody

e lse  came in?

MR. HEFFROM: I f  we quit today a l l  the Issues

that have been raised would remain u n litiga ted . I Imagine 

anyone e lse  could come in and l i t ig a t e  i t .  I imagine we 

would a lso  be su b ject to  the Court's power o f  d isc ip lin e  

fo r  irrespon sib ly  leaving the case,

COURT* W ell, o f  course, i f  the Court found 

ir r e s p o n s ib ility  wouldn't there be a defense o f  discriminate

MR. HEFFRON* I imagine i t  might w ell be raised,

your Honor.

COURT* I would think so , that that would be 

raised and a l l  the other red herrings. Qo ahead.

MR. HEFFRON* As to  any evidence the State might 

want to put in in  rebutta l o f  our evidence I don 't see how

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»• eould «v»p o b je c t  to  th e ir  m r  presenting FBI rep orts , 

rats o f  a rrests , number o f  negroes arrested fo r  various 

crim es. Our ob jection  sight be as to  irrelevancy to  vhatev* 

they presented but X d on 't be lieve  we would ob ject to  

submission o f  federa l rep orts . We certa in ly  plan to  o f fe r  

c e r t i f ie d  copies o f  federa l reports as part o f  our ease.

As a matter o f  fa c t ,  one o f  the th eories o f  our case is  

that we only carry the burden so fa r  and once we have 

carried  the burden ju st as fa r  as we can and we have made 

the kind o f  showing we know that we can make then the burder 

w il l  s h i f t .  We w il l  have established a prlma fa c ie  case 

In discrim ination  in  eases o f  race and i t  would then be the 

burden o f  the sta te  to  present evidence o f  rebuttal and 

that would be expected* Just one more word on the basic 

theory o f  the case: I t 's  been claimed that what might have 

to  be a quota system, one county would have to  wait to  try 

another county's ease before i t  could proceed in i t s  ease, 

and th is  claim might be raised  with respeot to  other crim es. 

Our point i s  th is : The C onstitution , ltth  Amendment in

the Federal Statute a l l  require that a l l  persons sh a ll 

s u ffe r  lik e  punishment, pains, and p en a lties . That's 

incorporated in  the statutes now on the books and which is  

one o f  the basis o f  the lt th  Amendment. Certainly no one 

in  th is  Courtroom w il l  argue that a l l  men receive  lik e  palm 

and punishment and penalty upon conviction  o f  certa in  crime:

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and circum stances.

The Supreme Court held , in the landmark case < 

Newthold v. Hopkins, in  the 19th Century, i f  i t  could be 

shown that a building ordinance in the operation o f  a 

laundry in a wooden building can only be forced against 

Chinese ancestry and not enforced against laundry owners 

o f  other ancestry then th is was discrim inatory o f  a p erfectl; 

va lid  sta tu te . I t  is  our claim there that Its  discrim inator: 

app lication  o f  a statute may very w ell be valid  but the 

app lication  has been a rb itra r ily  and unconstitutional.

And i f  that can be shown with respect to  other crim es, why 

should that not be struck down by Courts which uphold the 

C onstitution . I make no apology whatever fo r  in s is tin g  on 

the application  o f  the Constitution where ever i t  should be 

applied.

F inally as to  the existence as to  possibly  

irrelevant questions on the schedule: There are a lo t  o f

questions on that schedule, some are more relevant than 

others. Once the schedule on th is  man has been f i l l e d  out 

about th is  ease most o f  the factors are known: Factors

relevan t, the amount o f  resistance put up by defendant and 

amount o f  in ju ries  done to her, which can be measured at 

that time right a fte r  the o ffen se . Certainly many a 

prosacuter has made many a statement about that.

COURT: What? What did you say?

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MR. HEFFROM; I  say, that ca rta in ly , many a 

prosecutor has made many a statement to  the Jury,

COURT: About shat7

MR, HKFFROM? About the harm done to  the victim

COURT: Do you think th a t 's  wrong? What sort

o f  a speech do you think the prosecutor should make?

MR. HEFFROH: I think I t 's  relevant,

COURT: A ll r ig h t , s i r .

MR. HEFFROM: I think I have rep lied  to  the

arguments made by Mr. Brandon and I do b e lie v e , your Honor, 

that the only sound way to  handle th is  case Is to  allow 

us to  do I t  in  an orderly  fashion and unburdened fashion 

a fte r  we have demonstrated a w illingness to  do whatever 

we could In the time allowed, to  try to  prove th is  point 

which, by i t s  nature, requires a great deal o f  p roo f. A ll 

we ask is  a modest 60 days In which to  submit our fin a l 

rep ort•

COURT: Anything that you think needs rebuttal

that he raised  that he d id n 't  ra ise  In his main argument? 

You would be confined to  th at.

MR* BRANDONi I think n ot, your Honor.

COURT: This Court has before i t  a motion fo r

postponement o f  consideration  the issues which have been 

d irected  to  th is  Court fo r  app lication  and consideration  by 

the United States Court o f  Appeals fo r  the Fourth United

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States Judicial Circuit in this parti c u l a r  ease. Without, 

at this time, ruling upon the adstisslbllity or the c o mpetent  

o f  the evidence which, at this time, has not been offered 

but which hat been referred to. An d  sitting for the purposi 

o f  hear i n g  such arguments on the Issues as confined by the 

p r e-trial o r  agreed to by the pre-trial, and at the same 

time, allowing Petitioner, whose presence was made certain 

upon motion today, to present through his Counsel of choice 

o r  o f  association any other issues w hich may have to d o  wit i 

his constitutional rights o r  depravation or Infringement of 

the same*

The Court rules, at this time, on the motion to 

postpone which, if n o  connotation, would be called the 

Motion for Delay o f  Consideration at this time*

There is no showing here that the information, 

if it were competent, if it is competent o r  admissible, 

could not and should no t  have been obtained by those associ i 

by Counsel in behalf of Petitioner over the long period of 

time wit h  which this Court has been acquainted and given 

time and consideration to the various petitions and request! 

and motions o f  the Petitioner.

The State of South Carolina, through its Counse i 

today, has admirably stated: That, if in the opinion of

those Counsel chosen by the electorate of South Carolina as 

solicitor of the particular circuit involved, and as A t t o r n  >

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Central and Deputy Assistant Attorney* Central o f  tha statu 

Involved ware convinced that any deprivation of tha petitli 

right w ould ha accomplished o r  would ha predicated by the 

delay o r  hy the granting o f  tha notion o r  in any way infriik 

upon, that the State o f  South Carolina would eoneent to 

a ne w  trial. The atate haa abated that it would not enter 

into any agreenent aa to the adalealhlllty or competence 

o r  approprlatlve value, inaofar aa thia petition la concern 

o f  tha auppoaed or alleged evidence which haa been referre< 

to although, at thia time, not proffered to the Court for 

ruling aa to a d m i a a l b l l l t y , competency, approprlatlve 

value aa to thia particular eaae.

Counsel for petitioner has admitted and have 

voluntarily submitted to the Court a aoreorleaa verlflcatlc 

there of the hearsay which would he Involved without specif 

ing the competence o r  wherein, aa counsel have stated, any 

exception to the hearsay rule w ould be applicable.

In looking at the exhibit handed to the Court 

designated by a person or persons unknown or an organlaatie 

o r  organisations unknown as quota, capital punishment eurve 

unquote X find therein, not to single out but included amor 

the other portions o f  said proposed statistical effort sue* 

questions as: Under Hi " V i c t i m ’s reputation

Cheek the appropriate categorise

below:

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7*

Trior M t «  o f  prostitution * 

sexual intoroourso for compensation by tho vi c t i m  are 

admitted b y  vic t i m

Reported by D o f o n d a n t , on

personal knowledge

Reported b y  a companion assail

on porsonal knowledge

on porsonal knowledge

Roportod by any othor p a r s o n ,

Attributed to tho vi c t i m  by

gene r a l  r e p u t ation.”

Again u n d o r  T "How long p r i o r  to tho offonso 

did Dofondant first form tho intontion to oosmlt spooifio 

offensof

9. Commission o f  aontoaporanoous o f f e n s e s , and their 

pro-planning.

I. 3. Open h o w  atany parsons in addition to victim did 

Dofondant hlas o l f  ooaait aets constituting tho saae offonso 

as tho prlnoipal offonso o r  an attoapt to ooaait it in tho

plaeo and at tho tlao of tho principal offenseT"

T here is n o  showing before this Court at this 

tlao that tho granting of tho notion or tho aoooapllshaont 

of tho compilation of tho statistics would bo of appropriate 

v a l u e , of coapotonco o r  adaisslblllty if aocoapliahod by 

those whoso qualifications have not boon proven, whoso aoani

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In gathering the Information hate n e i t h e r  been proven, 

verified, qualified, n o r  given any expertise c h a r a c t e r i s e d  

inso f a r  as p r o o f  u n d e r  oath o r  on the witness stand o r  

agreed to, is concerned.

This Court, o f  course, has every respect for 

those w h o  have given t h e i r  lives and their talents t o  the 

nobility o f  the profession to w hich we call education, and 

this refusal is n o  criticism of those, w h e t h e r  n a m e d  or 

unna m e d  in the colloquies which have occurred in discussing 

this parti c u l a r  motion. But X a m  constrained to wonder  

whet h e r  or not, when we oonslder such Information as this: 

W h o  gathered,why gathered, should hearsay be here?

We must admit that the burden would be on the 

Petitioner, which burden has not been discharged before 

this Court at this time and at this hearing although the 

Court told Counsel that they would have all the time that 

they felt necessary.

U nder all these circumstances and because the 

Petitioner himself is entitled to a speedy disposition of 

the issues as defined and directed by the Fourth Cirouit 

Court of Appeals, the motion is refused and Counsel for
«

the Petitioner are now at liberty to proceed.

MR. H E F F R O H : T our Honor, we take exception

t o  that ruling.

C O U R Tt In South Carolina yo u  don't have to take

75

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exception, X tell y o u  that because y o u  don't have to do 

that. That is tho rulo in N orth Carolina, not South C aro11^ 

Vo undoratand that y o u  don't agree with ua when wo rulo 

against you.

MR. HEFFRON: All right. May I ask If that

carrloa throughout tho proceedings?

COURT: Oh, cortainly, air. Aa an offloor of

thia Court y o u  aro ontltlod to ovary bonoflt of tho rulo an) 

you got it.

MR. HEFFRONi So that It la not nocoaaary to 

tako explicit obJaction to tho ruling which tho Court makes"

COURT: No, air. Vhon tho Court ruloa in South

Carolina —  and thia la whoro wo aro superior in our ayatow 

of Jurisprudence to many othora —  wo don't require Counael 

to be that alert beoauae if mistakes have boon made our 

Courts are quick to correct it once it is brought to their 

attention, without tho necessity of any exception, and I'ai 

proud of that fact in South Carolina.

MR. HIFFRON: At thia tine we offer in ovidonoo

the 355 schedules that have been completed and have been 

referred to previously in this hearing. And with the Court'i 

permission X will make a proffer as to what those ~  If X 

h o a r  an objection X will make a  proffer to what those schedi: 

will p r o v e .

COURT: What does the Attorney Oeneral sayf

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MR. BRANDON* V* object to then on the groun 

of hearsay and Irrelevancy.

COURT: All right, sir,

MR. HEFFRON: We offor to prove through tho 

four Honor, I had bottor got thoao narked.

COURT: All right, air. Any objection to tlw

1dontification?

MR. BRANDON: Wo do not object to that.

COURT: Of course, If ho objected to it ho

would have to bring tho person up hero who supposedly made 

or allegedly aade then*

MR, BRANDON: If four Honor please, nay I

Inquire of the Court at this tine? I perhaps an tinder the 

misapprehension of the law myself. It was ay understanding 

that no objection to the identification of then would not 1 

any way facilitate their admissibility into evidence.

COURT: Well, I don't want the accused dlseri

ated by insisting that the petitioner conform to the rules 

of the Court but, as I understand the rule, when you offer 

evidence you put up a witness. Unless it's agreed that the 

evidence has the authenticity, for the purpose of identlfle 

you offer somebody: fou Identify this? Xs that your hand­

writing? Did you nude® it? Or, Is that your calculation?

Did you make it? When did you make it? From what lnfornat 

did you make it? And then you tender the evldenoe for

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Identification. Then y o u  o f f e r  it in evidence u  what has 

heen i d entified because somebody bat identified it, o t h e r ­

wise, this could have bee n  gotten up by oh, just anybody —

and X nean n o  parti c u l a r  oannotation by that to anybody, 
in

but/any given ease y o u  could w a l k  up and h a n d  soaebody thlnjf 

like this and say, well, these are records. But where is 

any authenticity unless they are identified as authentic:

Who aade then! H o w  they nade then? Why, and so on. It 

concerns as. He is Counsel, he didn't wake then, o r  if he 

di d  he hasn't inforaed as. Xf he did, then, o f  course, he 

could raise his right han d  and properly Identify then.

Then after he has properly identified t h e n  he can proffer 

them in evidence and then the Court rules at that ties 

upon the admissibility, its competence, approprlatlve value 

and their application and relation to the particular issue 

Involved. A m  I rightt Z w ould like for Counsel who is froji 

South Carolina to correct as if I a a  wrong.

NR. P E R R Y : Your Honor, as Z understand Rule h3b

where a litigant desires to offer certain evidence and wherji 

the right to offer that evidence is denied by the Court, 

speaking specifically of that portion of 43c which has to 

do with the Court sitting without a Jury, that under the 

Rule the Petitioner in this case may state what he aay 

offer to prove, the facts which he contends to exist. This 

is a aatter which is actually taken —  covered under the

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excluded e v i d e n c e » The Court tokos its attitude against 

tho evidence i f  that bo tho Court * s ruling but, n e w r t h e l e i  

tho petit i o n e r  is protootod by baring offorod bis evldenoe 

and b y  stating wbat bo proposes to p r o w  by that ovidonoo. 

This is tho way I understand the last port of * 3e.

COURTi Well, y o u r  use o f  sonanties was perhi 

a little o w r  enthusiastic, the Court has no attitude.

Tho Court just fools that tho authenticity should bo p r o w i  

in some way before ho attempts just to offer 3 5 5, is itt

HR. PERM': T h a t ’s ny understanding,

COURT: 355 © f  those pamphlets or booklets, 3|

d o n ’t know what would bo tho best way to catalogue or 

classify them for tho purpose of keeping the record pure, 

without any p r o o f  of their Identity except his statement.

MR. PERRYj Veil, Your Honor, of course, he 

was about to identify them.

COURT: Veil, how could he identify them unle

he made themf I didn't say the gentleman did this and I'm 

sure he wouldn't, but suppose he brought them down from 

w h e r e e w r  he came from and somebody else made themf Just 

suppose that, in the extreme, because that's the reason for 

some applicability of the necessity of proof or he could 

just come down and dump them and seme Court look at them 

and look all through them and all like that and there is 

n o  authenticity but they get the color o f  authenticity becsi

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o f  the fa ct that they were referred  to  and argued about.

Suppose you were trying one o f those big 

damage s u its , Mr. Perry, that you have been trying la te ly  

and somebody came in with a bunch o f  s ta t is t ic s  and sa id ,

I am Just o fferin g  them here, and you would say, where is  

the man that knows something about them, and that would 

be the f i r s t  question you would ask him: Now, wouldn't you?

I think you would, You see, the fact that th is P etitioner 

is  here engages every sympathetic understanding o f  th is 

Court; at the same time, i f  we abolish the rules here then 

somebody w ill  find an excuse to abolish the rules some 

other p lace. There w ill always be an exception.

MR. PERRY: May I say, Your Honor, i f  I might

in je c t  th is?

COURT: Certainly.

MR. PERRY: Your Honor, in the hypothetical

situ ation  you Just mentioned to me: Before a Jury, under

rule *3c, i f  my adversary wanted to o f fe r  evidence to which 

I objected  and to  which the ob jection  the Court indicated 

i t s  agreement, under the f i r s t  part o f  43c, my adversary, 

at that time, would have the right to ask fo r  the Jury to 

be excused and he would then have the right to  o f fe r  things 

fo r  consideration in the absence o f  the Jury. It  would come 

under the excluded evidence.

COURT: Yes, s i r ,  Mid he would put a witness <

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fll /

that stand to  prove tho authenticity  o f  it*  *

MR. PBRRTt I  a tro ly  stated tha proaadura o f  l t k

your Honor.

COURT: fa s , a ir ,  but ha would put a tfitneaa up

there to  Id en tify  I t ,  wouldn't ha?

MR. PERRY: Perhaps ha would, your Honor.

COURT: Perhaps nothing. That would be tha only

way ha could prove tha a u th en ticity , wouldn't i t ?  How alaa 

could ha prove i t ?

MR. PERRY: W all, o f  course, your Honor, you

asked ae to  reply to  a given s itu a tion .

COURT: V a il, how alaa would ha prove i t ?

MR. PERRY: V a il, o f  course, he would have to  

carry tha burden o f  proving tha auth en ticity .

COURT: That's a l l  I 'a  asking you. Thank you

very much. L e t 's  hear from you.

MR. HSPPROM: Your Honor, at th is time, we are

not going to  put a Vltness on to  explain the testim ony, 

that which I eluded to  th is  morning, I tr ie d  to  explain 

th is  morning that th is  is  a Job that has to  bs dons a l l  at 

one time. Ve made the request that we be allowed a s u f f io i  h 

amount o f  time to  preaent data and Vltneases and axpert 

testimony to  explain juat what I t  Is in  thers and how tha 

survey i s  completed and what i t  was designed fo r  and how tho 

operation was performed.

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COURTt Which v u  nothing more then a statement 

o f  Counsel with an absolute vacancy as to  p roo f. Absolute; 

there i s  no testimony o ffe re d  o r , you say, to  be o ffe red  

at th is  time,

MR* HEFFRON: At th is  tim e, your Honor.

COURTj That's right*

MR. HEFFHONt We are not in  the p os ition  —

COURT! fe e , s i r .

MR. HEFFRON: —  to  make the Id e n tifica tio n

and explanation that i s  necessary.

COURT! A ll r ig h t , a ir .

MR. HEFFRONi We want to  present the data fo r  

the Court's attention  and we want to  make a record .

COURT! There having been no id e n t if ic a t io n , 

no attempt at id e n t if ic a t io n , no attempt o f  explanation o f  

id e n t if ic a t io n , or the reasons fo r  lsek o f  id s n t if lca t io n  

fo r  the purpose o f  o ffe r in g  the p ro o f, the Court w ill  

authorise the Clerk to  sea l the package and mark thereon, 

Counsel's exh ib it 1 fo r  P etition er  and fo r  — what's your 

orga n isa tion 's  name?

MR. HEFFRON: I resp ectfu lly  ob ject to  any

such designation.

COURT! W ell, Mr. Perry d id n 't  o f fe r  i t .  Do you 

o f fe r  i t  to o , Mr, Perry?

MR. PERRYj Your Honor, o f  course, I think perhni

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you are haring to  do now with whether Nr. Heffron la  o ffe r in  

i t  u  in  organisation . Nr. Haffron though Is ind ividua lly  

as a Counaal fo r  P etition er .

COURT: A ll r ig h t. And the testimony Is not

acceptable because the P etition er  has absolutely  fa ile d  

by h is own admission o f  sustaining the burden o f  authentlelt 

o r  p roo f thereabout. Prooeed.

MR. HEFFRON: tour Honor, you mentioned that

the box would be sealed and we. o f  course, are going to  

require to  have copies made o f  th is  one to  show to  Counsel 

on the other s id e , one fo r  our own use and I wonder i f  that* 

contemplated by the Court's previous order. I f  i t  i s  not, 

your Honor, 7 would resp ectfu lly  withdraw that exh ib it 

because we have to  have i t .

COURT) You have come in  here as an o f f i c e r  

o f  th is  Court, you and Mr. Perry, knowing th is hearing was 

today. At each stage o f  th is  proceeding the Court's 

patience has been generous. You knew you were going to 

o f fe r  th is  evidence or hoped to  o f f e r  i t  and the Court has 

given you the right to  tender i t .  Why d id n 't  you bring that 

up beforehand?

MR. HEPPRON: I t  re a lly  d id n 't  —

COURT) X mean, Justice demands that the o f f i c e r  

o f  the Court convenience the Court.

MR. HEPPRON: Your Honor, i t  occurred to  us that

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I t  was Just lik e ly  and probable that th is  Court would not 

allow us the time to  work with th is m aterial. ’

COURT: fou have had a l l  the time you needed

you are trying to make a record when the record speaks fo r  

l t a e l f .  This case has been dragged and dragged and dragged 

and I have convenlenced counsel every time they have 

asked me fo r  a hearing. I ’ ve been available a fte r  hours and 

any other time. I am available today, I was available 

yesterday. Since the notices went out that th is  case would 

be here fo r  a hearing I have been ava ila b le . My secretary 

knows where I am every given day at any given tim e, counsel 

knows that. Don't say that th is  Court has done you anything 

that Is not correct. This Court stands ready to receive 

anything you have. Don't becloud the Issues here, which 

are the con stitu tion a l rights o f  th is P etition er , by draggirij 

red herring across i t ;  i t ' s  not becoming o f  an o f f i c e r  o f  

th is Court.

Insofar as that la  concerned, Mr. Brandon, tfc< 

want to make copies o f  i t :  They w ill  prepare an order to

which you agree and which, at the expense, since he has 

said he Is adequately secure fin a n c ia lly , the Gentleman 

who stands, Mr. H effron, to  have the necessary copies made 

and you w ill  be given that opportunity i f ,  as an o f f i c e r  

o f  the Court, you can now state that th a t 's  proper, can youl

MR. HEFFRON: I can s ta te , at th is  tim e, w# <i

84

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P V - w m b  P * f far the proMii of copying Oho orders 
«nd hope they will beoene port of the eoete of the Utlgatl 
to bo determined in fetor of the prevailing party oesential 

OOURTt What do you have to say to that, Mr. 
Attomoy Central?

MR, BRANDONt If pour Honor please, X don't wank 
to sennit nyself to having to pay for then because we haven' 
get tho funds. Lot no, If X night go back —  Xt was his 

notion to withdraw that thing, that box of paper that was 
overruled by tho Court?

COURT! Veil, if he withdraws it —  he is Just 
nousetrapping the Court and having sene Appellate Court, 
he hopes, saying we didn't give hln a chance to put it in. 
That is all he Is doing and X an going to give bin everythlj) 

he deserves and nore; X have already done that. Most Judgeji 
would have called tine on hln and X wouldn't do that.

MR. VOLFSi Xf your Honor please, of course, 
Dorchester County wouldn't want to be involved in the cost. 
Of course, It's originally a state case. X know that the 
funds down there are United and X know that would be quite 
a task to wake copies of all of that. X call It a confusion 

COURT! Veil, Counsel is privileged to sake suclt 
designations as he wants to. X assune that they are booklet) 
or paaphlets• Would you agree to the cost at your own 
expense? Ton see, you brought it in here, you and the

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Stf

ientleaen f o r  w h o a  y o u  aro working, I have n o  e r l tlelHi * 

o f  %fcot. But too* you aro trying to propose a oeat an 

perhaps aoaa o f  those w h o  aro Quito innocent to w h a t e v e r  

y o u r  purpoaoa aro.

MR. HKPPROMt Y o u r  Honor, wo w o u l d  not agroo to 

orontually Owing llablo fo r  the coat o f  photocopying and 

reproducing these aahoduloa. Vo, of eourao, aubait to 

w h a t e v e r  o r d e r  this Court rondora subject, o f  oourao, to 

rowiow on appeal. I definitely will no t  go on reeord to 

contenting to p a y i n g  the aoat o f  thia o r  all the o ther aoati 

Incident to the p r o o f  o f  thia laaue, w h i c h  la a aanmoth 

tun.

COURT} You have aald to no, as an officer of 

this Court, that y o u r  organisation would engage In the 

expenditure, a possible expenditure of a aanmoth sua?

MR. HSFPRONt As long as it's relative here.

COURT} Veil, it's ne t  relative here because 

it's very serious.

MR. HSPTROHs X will state to the Court that 

several thousand dollars have been spent to gather the data 

we have here today and we will atteapt, if we prevail In 

this litigation, i f  w e  have the expense o f  having to prove 

what could well be stipulated If the noraal course o f  eventa 

would be followed. I understood, y o u r  Honor, the Pederal 

Courts have devised t heir entire procedures to determination

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8?

o f  the fa cts  to  relevant l it ig a t io n  In an unburdensome a * 

manner as p ossib le  always encouraging stip u la tion s  and 

admissions. And we have been severely disadvantaged with 

the lim itation  o f  time and scope o f  the Job we undertook 

but we are trying to get th is case se ttled  on an agreed 

statement o f  fa c ts , a fte r  a very systematic Job o f  fa c t ­

gathering.

COURT: fou s ta te , "fa ct-ga th erin g11 in th is

breath and a while ago you said hearsay in a large p ile .

MR. HEFFRON: Some o f  the hearsay is  fa c t ,

four Honor.

COURT: W ell, mark i t ,  seal i t  and they can

show cause at a future time I f  they want to reprint i t .

Mark i t  P e tition er ’ s Exhibit number one refused.

(Thereupon P e tit ion er ’ s Exhibit No. 1 refused 

marked fo r  id e n tifica t io n )

COURT: Proceed, gentlemen.

MR. Marshall, you make sure that there Is 

s u ff ic ie n t  tape and so on. This w ill  be marked and put in 

a safe in your o f f i c e ,  Madam Clerk, u n til such time as good 

cause is  shown why.

MR. HEFFRON: I want to complete the record,

Your Honor, I am f i l l in g  the box.

COURT: As far  as I ’ m concerned, I don’ t know

what the record is  because there has been no p roof as to

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v h a t e r e r  y o u  put in there* it*a just boo n  put in there, *• 

there io n o  p r o o f  of authenticity.

lot, tir, X * a  ready to h o a r  from y o u  new.

NR. HSPVRONs An ozooptlon la not neeessaryf 

COURTi Vo, tir. You hart tho high privilege 

o f  South Carolina Law in this Court and X am happy to hart 

you.

MR. RKPPRON: T o u r  Honor, at this time, X make

a request to utillao tho satoriala that art in that box 

which hat boon ordered to bo aoalod, in o rdor to aid at in 

tho examination of tho first Witness to bo oallod.

COURT) T h o  first Witness that w i l l  be sailed, 

i f  his testimony is competent, y o u  can use that o r  any 

o t h e r  thing to refresh his memory.

MR. H E V 7 R 0 M : Your Honor, X want to use it to

refresh ay recollection as an aid to ms in asking the 

questions. Somebody w ent out and gathered the information 

at ay request and at the request o f  others. He brought as 

back a  groat deal o f  information in w h i c h  X hare confidence 

and trust. Vow, we sire going to hare to go through the 

burden o f  proving the information piece by pleoe in this 

Courtroom. X hare specific information in those schedules 

that X W a n t  to present to the Court. In using that seheduli 

X can ask the appropriate question of the Witness on the 

stand and then that information can be placed in the record.

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COURT: How auoh o f  i t  do you intend to  uaef fc

MR* HEFPR0H{ How much?

COURTi Yea, a ir ,  fo r  the convenience o f  the

Court.

MR. HEFFROH: I lntond to  go through each o f

thoao schedules, a l l  335*

COURTS Suppose you s ta rt  i t .  Too to o , a l l  you 

ham boon doing is  ta lk ing  and I have boon lis ten in g  and 

I  w il l  l is te n  on. Let*a put sons Witnesses up and see 

what you ham because what you say is  not p roof here, i t  

nay be in  sons other Court. It*a not p roof here and th is  

i s  no d isrespect to  you, Counsel. I  am glad to  ham you 

stake a l l  the speeches you want to ,  but l e t 's  ham the proof 

i f  there is  something that proves th is  man's con stitu tion a l 

righ ts have been Invaded or  deprived in any way, l e t 's  ham 

the p ro o f, I'm ready.

Tou ham read the opinion o f  the C ircu it Court,

haven't you?

MR.HEP?RON: Yes, s i r ,  I ham , your Honor.

COURT: W ell, the C ircu it Court o f  Appeals has

sa id  that I should consider certa in  th ings. I am here to  

consider i t  now and I expect Counsel to  present, i f  they 

wish i t  fo r  consideration , i f  they don 't I w il l  ask the 

Sttfte to  present i t ,  i f  they don 't I w il l  get presentation 

on ay own i f  I fin d  i t  necessary.

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m ,  HRPPROM* X bellows, y o u r  Honor, the notion 

is be f o r e  tho Coart to two ono o f  tho oohoduloo in that 

b o x  w h i c h  has b o o n  orde r e d  t o  bo sonlod.

COURT! Couaool w ill bo allow#d to reaove fro® 

tho b o x  on« o f  tho oohoduloo v h l o h  tho Cleric w i l l  nark 

n o o v a l  n u a b e r  ono, for tho porpooo of identification, 

w h i c h  w i l l  bo placed in tho hando o f  Oounool for tho purpoo 

o f  ouo h  te n d e r  o f  p roof o r  ouoh p r o o f  oo ho nay bo adwlsed, 

aftor w hioh it w i l l  bo returned t o  tho Clerk a n d  roturnod 

to th o  box. Proceed*

M R . H E P P R O M * Petitioner ealla Mr. Major.

J O B S  T. MAJOR, a  Witness on be h a l f  of tho 

Plaintiff, haw i n g  boo n  duly sworn, beatified aa follows*

COURT* Xa tho Gentleman*a occupation and 

offic i a l  position adaltted?

MR. BRAMDOH* Yea, air,

COURT* All right. State tho official poaltlon 

o f  tho Wltnoaa, I a a a u m  ho la hero in aono official 

eapaeltyf

MR. HEPPROM* Aa X understand, tho Wltnoaa la 

tho Clerk o f  tho Circuit Court of Richland County, South 

Carolina,

COURT* All right,

MR. HRPPROM* Tho Wltnoaa* nano and address la 

on tho record, y o u r  Honor.

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COURTt Tha Clark has It.

Q <Sy Nr* Saffron) Nay Z ask you how lens you have bald your 
position?

A Since Marsh 1$ of tha current year, 1965*
Q What was your oooupatlon or position prior to that tins?

A t r i o r  to that tins X was supervisor of tha hearing and 
speeeh correction program of tha State Department of 
Education* state of South Carolina*

Q Hava you had previous experience in tha office of the Clerk 

A Not prior to March 15*
Q Nona prior to March 15* 1965?
A Right.
Q Are you in custody of the records of the office of the Cleri 

A Yes, sir.
Q Have you brought some of those records here today?

A Selected cases* yes* sir*
Q fou are under subpoena* are you not?
A Under subpoena yes* sir*
Q Have you brought case files, from the records of your Court, 

case file number 21031?
A Yes* sir,
Q And you have that before you?
A Yes.
Q Would you explain to the Court what la contain#! in tha 

envelop# that you are now holding in your hand?

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A The indlotnant. Can X state the indlotnant» nano and * 

everything?
Q too, State tho papars with an identification* Tali «a 

what yon are looking at?

A  X an looking at an indlotnant, atato of South Carolina, 
county of Richland, Court of Oonaral Sessions, Nay tarn, 
1963. Stato v Jinny Janas, indlotnant for raps, oamal 

knowledge.
COURT* What's tho applicability; is ho a 

co-defendant or klnanan or sonothing of this Petitioner?
HR, HSPPRON: Ho la not.
COURT: What do you h a w  to aay, Nr. Attomoy

Oonaral? What*a this got to do with this eaaa?
NR. BRANDON: If your Honor plaaaa, X was Just

waiting for a nonant until ha ldantlflad it and offarad it. 
Va aaa that thara is no ralavancy thara and oartalnly 
objaot to it on tha grounds of irrelevancy.

COURT: All right. What's ralawant, Counsal?
NR. HEFFROH: Tour Honor, at this tlna, wa

propose to go through to present oonpatant Wltnassas who 
have parsonal knowladgo or who haws custody of official 
records of all of those oases resulting in a conviction of 
rape in tha county Courts of South Carolina, in tha Circuit 
Courts of several counties of South Carolina during tha 

period 19*5 *9 1965. It is our purpose to elicit for tha

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Court's inform ation. And they are not subject to  a hearsay 

ob ja ction .

COURT: Why la n 't  i t  subject to  hearsay?

MR. HEPFRON: Thla man is  reading o f f i c i a l

State records regularly kept in  the Court and, as a matter 

o f  fa c t ,  J u d ic ia l n otice  by th is  Court.

COURTS What re la tion  has i t  to  th is P etitlon erf 

Old he p a rtic ip a te?  Are the fa cts  id en tica l?

MR. HEPFRON: In the case that the Witness Just

mentioned 1 d on 't know o f  any connection between that ease 

and P e tit io n e r 's  ease.

COURT: The ob jection  is  sustained and the

evidence i s  not competent In th is case.

MR. HEPFRONs Your Honor, I would lik e  the 

opportuntly to  make a more d eta iled  p ro ffe r  o f  p roo f. I 

propose —

COURT: I don 't want to  hear any statements fo r
4

the simple reason that we have gone fa r  enough. You can 

o f fe r  the p roo f. I w il l  be glad to  hear your o f fe r  o f  p roo f. 

Rut you have said there i s  no connection, I took you at your 

word.

MR. HEPFRON: I sa id , your Honor, that there

was —

COURT: You said  there was no connection la what

Z understood you to  say?

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MR. HEFFRON; I  M t n t  to  say, your Honor, that 

thoro wot no re la tionsh ip  between the Defendant and the 

Defendant in  the cate .

COURT: And there is  no connection between the

two cases, is  there?

MR. HEFFRON: We are attempting to  es ta b lish ,

your Honor, a pattern o f  discrim ination  in the im position 

o f  sentences o f  persons who are charged with the crime o f  

rape, th is  d iscrim ination being on a ra c ia l basis resu lting 

in  harsher sentences, including the penalty o f  death, most 

often  and almost exclu sive ly  when the Defendant is  a negro 

charged with the rape o f  a white woman. We know o f  no othe 

way to  prove such a pattern o f  d iscrim ination . I t  requires 

a presentation o f  evidence o f  Just about every case in  the 

counties which represent the State o f  South Carolina, and 

it* s  a long complicated process, but i t  i s  relevant and i t  

is  not subject to  a hearsay ob jection .

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .  Objection sustained.

MR. HEFFRON: W ell, what was the ob jection  to ,

my question?

COURT: I t 's  not competent, i t  has nothing to

do with the issues before the Court In th is case which has 

been d irected  to  me by the Fourth C ircu it Court o f  Appeals, 

i t ' s  in en tire ly  separate case, and that the proof is  not 

admissible because i t  i s  not competent.

9*

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KH. HEFFRON* Tour Honor, I don't want to flauijt 

tho authority of the Court but It'a my Intention to go 

right down tho schedule and oak of the Witness whatever 

questions can be answered from the record that he holds 

in his lap right now so that we may place it in evidence.

COURT: What says the Attorney General as to

that line of testimony?

MR. BRANDON: We think that couldn't be proper.

This Witness has no right to go in there and answer quest lojn 

about these documents.

COURT: Yes, sir, he has admitted it to be

hearsay, the objectlonils sustained.

MR. HEFFRON: I didn't understand that hearsay

ruling, your Honor.

COURT: Well, you admitted some of the things

in there are hearsay.

MR. HEFFRON: Some of the things.

COURT: Now, you want to ask this Witness about

it.

MR. HEFFRON: I haven't had an opportunity to

ask him a question.

COURT: No, sir, you are not going to put the

hearsay in this record*

MR. HEFFRON: I have no intention of putting

anything in that is hearsay.

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COURT: Ho, a ir ,  you are not going to  put i t  *

in th is  record*

MR. HBFPRON: Wo11, I  was only going to  ask

that ho —

COURT: Wall, I have ruled that thoao art not

proper. I havo le t  you put thea in hero even though your 

Id e n tifica tio n  was not proper. Your burden o f  proof aa to  

authenticity  ia not proper, your manner o f  proof ie  not 

proper, you admitted that they are hearaay and you haven*t 

put up the tfitneaaea. How, I have ruled that thia partioul^ 

record ia  not applicable to  th ia p articu lar  oaae and there­

fore hia ob jection  ia auatained.

MR. HEFFROM: Your Honor, thia Witness ia on

here to  cure whatever hearaay ob jection  there might be and 

i f  we can’ t put the schedule in that contains the inform atl 

from h is record — we have ca lled  him to t e s t i fy  before th l 

Court;

COURT: A ll r ig h t, you have made your po in t.

The ob jection  is  auatained.

MR, HBFPRON: Your Honor, at thia time, I want

to  o f fe r  to  c a l l  the County Clerk o f  the fo llow in g counties 

in  the state o f  South Carolina: Clerks o f  the C ircu it Courjfc

in  the follow ing counties.

COURT: Did you subpoena thea here?

MR. HBFPRON: No, your Honor, they were not

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subpoenaed.

COURT! Did you have tho power o f  subpoena?

MR* HSPFROKi Wall —

COURT! Did you subpoana th is  Gentleman?

MR. HSFFRON j X had no idaa that thia Oantlaaan 

testimony would ba finiahad in tan minutes, your Honor.

COURT! Did you subpoana thia Gentleman?

MR. HEFPRON: Ha was subpoenaed.

COURT; You didn’ t  aubpoana tha others?

MR. HSFFRON• Hot yet but we certa in ly  intend t|> 

COURT! A ll r ig h t , s i r .  Put your motion in

the record , I t  w il l  be fin e .

MR. HSFFRONj W ell, we propose to  examine the 

Clerks o f  the C lrouit Courts o f  the follow ing counties in 

South Carolina: A bbeville , Aiken, Anderson, Bamberg, BerksL

Charleston, Chester, C h esterfie ld , Clarendon, Dorchester, 

F lorence, G reenville , Horry, Jasper, Lee, Newberry, and 

Orangeburg. X l i s t  Richland but that Clerk is  on the stand.

COURT! That’ s already been ruled on.

MR. HSFFRON: Spartanburg, Sumter, Union, and

Williamsburg, fo r  the purpose o f  examining these Clerks as 

to  the records now on f i l e  in  th e ir  Courts with respect to  

the rape cases or those oases resu ltin g  in  conviction  o f  

rape since 1 9 *15, intending to  ask them deta iled  questions 

about the Defendant and h is background, about the victim

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and h e r  background, about the lagal procedures followed 

in eaoh of thoaa cases, and about the circumstances o f  the 

orlme in each case. At this tine I would like to a d d  to 

my o f f e r  —  my motion, the blank copy of the schedule which 

I presented to the Court which will serve as a guide to 

the types of questions that I would be asking this Clerk 

and the other Clerks.

COURT: You Just made a statement, y o u  haven't

offered any Witnesses.

MR. HEPFRON: W ell, I have o ffered  th is  Witness,

your Honor.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r .  Objection sustained

to  th is  Witness. Put up your next Witness. I f  you haven't 

prepared your case, s i r ,  I ca n 't  help i t .

Step down, unless you have some other questions 

o f  th is  Witness.

MR. HEPFRON: I would lik e  a short time to  thin!

about i t ,  your Honor.

COURT: A ll r ig h t, s i r ,  recess fo r  f iv e  minutes.

Let the P etition er stay in Court..

(Recess)

(3s^5 P.W. — P etition er present in Courtroom)

COURT: A ll r ig h t, Oentlemen.

MR. HEPFRON: Your Honor, I Just completed

making an o f fe r  o f  p roof.

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COURTi Yes, sir.

MR. HEPFROM: X vant to present and h a w  marked

In Identification, blank copy o f  aohadula vhloh I w ould 

follow aa a guide to quaatlona for aqr examination of tha 

various Circuit Clarka.

COURTS Mark It for ldantlfieatlon. Zt haa n o  

proof In thla Court ao mark It for ldantlfieatlon for tha 

purpoaa of preservation and contain It with tha othar 

racorda of tha Court* Thank you.

(Thereupon Petitioner'a Exhibit No. 2 marked 

for Identification)

MR. HE7FR0N: I also offer that In evidence —

MR. VOLFS: Mr. Heffron, would you atend back

a little, please, air, ao we can hear you?

MR. HEFFRON: I would like to offer that In

evidence so It would become a part of the exhibits and so 

that the Appellate Court can understand the offer If It 

becomes an Issue on appeal.

COURT: O f  course, you are entitled to It.

Mark It for identification. It will not be reoeived In 

evidence because there la n o  proof of the authenticity and 

competency and practicability In this particular hearing 

n o r  as to wh o  made It, wh y  It was made, when It was made, 

what a w  the facts from which the ma k i n g  of It originated, 

o r  why anybody ha d  either the authority, the duty, the

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n e ce ss ity , d u r a b i l i t y , o f  making the tame.

Continue, s i r .

MR. HEPPRON: I would lik e  to state th at, as

the oase about which Mr. Major began to t e s t i fy :  We have,

on a form sim ilar to  that which has Just been o ffe re d , the 

follow ing information which came from the records o f  Mr. 

Major and as to  which I w ill  p ro ffe r  some s p e c if ic  answers 

that I could e l i c i t  from Mr. Major i f  he were allowed to 

consult his records and te s t i fy  in answer to  my questions. 

For instance, the records on f i l e  in Mr. M ajor's o f f ic e  

i t  appears and I o f fe r  to  show through the testimony o f  

Mr. Major, that Jimmy James was indicted  and tr ied  fo r  the 

offense o f  rape, statutory rape, assault and battery o f  a 

high and aggravated nature and assault with Intent to  rape. 

Further, the t r ia l  began on September 8, 1953. The verd ict 

was returned on the same date and sentence was Imposed on 

the same date. Purther, that the t r ia l  was held in the 

City o f  Columbia, County o f  Richland, State o f  South Carolini

COURT: Yes, s i r .

MR. HEFFROM: The name o f  the Court was the

Court o f  General Sessions. The docket number is  21031 and 21 

that the name o f  the t r ia l  Judge was H. Henderson. Further 

that i t  appears from the f i l e s  presently with Mr. Major 

today —

COURT: You have tendered the f i l e  and the f i l

100

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has been id e n tifie d  and re fu ted , that le  s u ff ic ie n t .

NR. HEFFROM: Mr. M ajor's f i l e  has not been

tendered, your Honor.

COURT: W ell, why d id n 't  you tender i t ?  That's

the best evidence, i s n 't  it ,b e s id e s  your statement or his 

statement?

MR. HEFFROM: I would be glad to  o f fe r  the ease

f i l e ,

COURT: W ell, why d id n 't  you o f fe r  i t ?

MR. HEPPRON: I  don 't want to burden — I am

sure there are going to  be ob jection s to  that. I know that 

they are going to  want or need th e ir  records. I f  the 

ob jection  is  sustained to  ray questions about those records \- 
COURT: The testimony is  not competent, by the

ru lin g  o f  th is  Court.

MR. HEFFROM: I want to  complete ay p ro ffe r , yoji

Honor.

Further, that the records which Mr. Major has 

with him today shows about the case o f  Jimmy James:

That he was b o m  in either 191** or 1915, that he resided at 
5^09h Ridgeway Street in Columbia, that he was married.

COURT: What a p p lica b ility  to  where he liv e d ,

would i t  make any d ifferen ce?  What has that got to  do with 

i t ?

MR. HEFFROM: That's one question that doesn 't

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h iv i

GOURTi Anything to do with it, does itf 

MR. HEFFROX: T h a t 1* a researcher's question.

It eould ho relevant to same things bat —

COURT) What eould it bo relevant to in thia

eaaef

MR. HEFFROX: Well, it can guide the raaearoheri

to further information; that ia, it can provide leada aa 

to w h o e v e r  night want to develop further information about

this cate.

I am merely listing information provided on the 

form that haa been introduced, that has been gathered and 

it*a available in Mr. M a j o r ’s records relating to the case 

o f  Jimmy James.

COURT: Well, i t ’s not competent and I don't

w ant you to pursue it.

MR. HEFFROX) All right, y o u r  Honor.

COURT) Tou admitted it's not competent in thia

case.

MR. HEFFROXr I did not admit i t .

COURT: If y o u  want to burden thia Court t h a t ’s

y o u r  privilege as an officer of this Court. It doesn't 

bespeak the integrity of the usual officer o f  this Court.

MR. HEFFROX: I want to make it entirely clear

to whatever Court may review this record —

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COURTi A ll r ig h t , a ir .

MR. HEFPROMj That we have a great mass o f  

inform ation we ara try in g  to  gat bafora tha Court.

COURT: And which you have not proparly present^

or  proparly prepared to  present, by your own admission,

MR. HBFPRON: Tour Honor, I  am p erfe c tly  w illin g

to  ash Mr. Major to  t e s t i fy  about every item 1 Just l is te d  

about th is  p articu lar  ease and about 60 or 70 other oases.

COURT: Mr. Major?

MR. HEFFRON: Mr. Major, yes, s i r .

COURT: About 60 or 70 other oases?

MR. HEFFR0H: Tea, s i r ,  your Honor.

COURT: A ll r ig h t , s i r .

MR. KSFPRON: Further, continuing, the informat!,

which we o f f e r  to  show from the f i l e s  o f  Mr. Major about 

the ease o f  Jimmy James: The Defendant was married and

had at least four ch ildren , that h is race was negro.

COURT: Is a l l  that in  the record , one o f  those

records you have there?

MR. HEFFRON: I t 's  a l l  in  the one that I removed

from the box.

COURT: A ll r ig h t. State that you want to  prove

a l l  o f  the information in  that p articu lar record that the 

Clerk knows anything about and l e t 's  cut i t  short,

MR. HBPPROH: A ll r ig h t, your Honor.

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Start's s  demonstration o f  tlio typos o f  inforaatlon that 

art on tho first two pages o f  tho schedule that was withdra 

from tho box and about whloh thoro art, X * a  ours, we can 

elicit answers fro* Nr. Major* and X do proffor that 

teatlaony and also attoh aoro about this oaso and othors 

fro* Mr* M a j o r  and o thor Claries.

COURT: All right.

MR. HSTPROMi Tho offor has boon donlod.

COURT: Tho objootlon has boon sustainod.

MR. HEPPROM: Tho objootlon has boon sustainod.

We havo n o  furthor questions of Mr. Major.

COURT: T hank you* Mr. Major. Do y o u  havo any

furthor questions* Mr. District Attorney?

MR. BRAHDOM: M o  q u e s t i o n s , y o u r  Honor.

COURT: T h a n k  you* Mr* Major* you are oxeusod

at this tiao unloss the Counsel w h o  subpoenaed you here has 

objection. Do yo u  havo any objection?

MR. HS77R0N: We have n o  objection.

COURT: T hank you very auch* it was nice having

y o u  in Court.

WXTNBS3: Thank you* you r  Honor.

COURT: Yes* sir.

MR. HEP7R0N: Your Honor, X aentlonod that we

wanted to call other Clerks for Just the saao purpose. X 

listed tho counties. At this tiao* X would like to list fo:

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the Court the n i » i  fo r  the Court o f  ethor w itnesses that , 

wo propose to  o a ll  In order to  estab lish  the in fom atlon  

In th is  Court which has already been developed.

COURT: Are the witnesses here?

MR. HEPFRON: The witnesses are not here todafcr

Your Honor.

COURT: Let the record show that the witnesses

are not here, that counsel has pursued the power o f  subpoena 

as to  one witness but had not presented the witnesses In 

Court, had not made him self available o f  the power o f  

subpoena, and that by his own statement, the witnesses are 

not here.

A ll r ig h t , s i r ,  proceed.

MR. HEFFRON: Among those we would wish to

c a l l  would be the custodiart o f  records o f  the Department o f  

C orrections, the Clerk o f  the Supreme Court —

COURT: Nothing has prevented your ca llin g  th»

except your own fa ilu re  to  subpoena them, and le t  the record 

so show fo r  whatever Appellate Court that w i l l ,  in i t s  

wisdom, review th is case.

MR. HEFFRON: At th is time, I move fo r  

P etition er that a recess be declared so that we might be -all 

to  subpoena the witnesses that I have mentioned in order to  

produce the same type o f  testimony which was o ffered  with 

Mr. Major and his records.

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COURT i Let the m o H  show that u nder direct lot 

of the Circuit Court o f  Appeal* Z convened thia hearing 

nailing available to Counsel the opportunity to p r e a m t  such 

faete aa were competent, auch argument as should, could, o r 

w o u l d  be nade on the questions In the Petition and as 

agreed upon in the pre-trial and as reduced to writing in 

the pre-trial order. Upon commencement of the hearing this 

morning Counsel having advised that they had changed their 

previous position as to the presence of the Petitioner, the 

Court was recessed for the purpose o f  bringing the Petition* 

to this Courtroom, which was done. The Petitioner is here. 

The Court sits wait i n g  to h e a r  the arguments and/or the 

competent facts on those matters for which this Court was 

convened and of which due notice was given to Counsel.

Under those circumstances the Court sits now to hear those 

a r g u m e n t s .

I f  Counsel invokes a pattern of delay for the 

purpose o f  avoiding its responsibility as officers of the 

Court to present, if they can or if they have proper 

arguments, then this Court w ould take such under considerate 

at this time, I would like to h e a r  from you at this time 

while you are not arguing,

NR. P E R R Y j tour Honor, did you dlreet an inquix

of us?

COURT; Yes, I did.

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MR. PERRY: Was i t  that —

COURT: you asked fo r  the P etition er to  be

here and he Is here.

MR, PERRy: Yes, s i r ,  Your Honor.

COURT: You asked fo r  him to be here and you*

associate  went in to  some matters about which he had neither 

information nor, so fa r  as I  can see , any consultation  or 

advice during the en tire  proceeding. I am here to hear what 

evidence he has i f  he has evidence. I have reviewed th is 

record no less  than three times. I f  the arguments or any 

o f  the things and matters set forth  in the P etition  or as 

s o l id i f ie d  in  the p r e -t r a il  order or other arguments, the 

Court is  s it t in g  and ava ilab le .

MR. HEPPRON: Your Honor, researving a l l  objs

ions to the Court’ s rulings gone b e fore , today, we have no 

more proof to  o f fe r  in support o f  paragraph 13b o f  the Amend 

P etition  fo r  Writ o f  Habeas Corpus f i le d  on May 12, 1965.

COURT; What do you say as to  the rest o f  i t ?

MR. PERRY: Now, may i t  please the Court, the

P etition er o ffe rs  as exh ib its in th is case the follow ing 

things: The transcript o f  record in the Supreme Court o f

South Carolina in the f i r s t  p la ce , which, o f  course, is  a 

transcript o f  the t r ia l  o f  the case which occurred in A p ril, 

1962.

COURT: Isn ’ t that already in the record?

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NR. PERRYt four Honor, X d o  n o t  reeall that 

It la In tho record, it may bo. Mr. Brandon?

NR. BRANDONt X don't believe that It la.

COURT: Noll, thoro la n o  objection to It and

I f  thoro la tho objection la overruled. Tho evidence la 

accepted and haa boon reviewed by thla Court previously 

and H i l l  bo reviewed again.

MR. PERRY: Row, y o u r  Honor, I have tho

thing t o  aay w i t h  roforonco —  about tho Haboaa Corpus 

proeoodlnga which woro hold boforo tho Honorablo John 

Orimball, Judgo o f  tho Plfth Judicial Circuit of South 

Carolina. And this was tho transcript, o f  course, proceed! 

tho second decision by tho Supremo Court of South Carolina.

COURT: X think that's proper.

NR. BRANDON: No will Join in in moving that

tho Court take Judicial notice o f  all that.

COURT: X think that's proper. X have already

road the m  two or three times and X wil l  bo happy to have 

the m  again,

MR. PERRY: Then, there la n o  necessity of our

actually handing In ou r  copy, X believe the Court haa copied

COURT: Well, if the Court doesn't have copies,

unless the Counsel disagree, the Court will call on Counsel 

to furnish such copies and then return them at such time 

as the disposition of the Court is final.

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lOf

All right, sir.

Nit* FIRRYi The N l i t l w t r  m t i ,  y o u r  Honor* 

COURTi You noo n  to toll no, Nr. Perry, toot 

y o u  have n o  argunont to present today after asking the 

Cirouit Court o f  Appeals to ooao b ook borof

NR. FIRRYt Oh, yos, y our Honor, vo have 

arguaonto but X havo roforonoo to, o f  oouroo, tho e v identua 

p r e s e n t a t i o n s .

C O U R T * T h a t ’s all tho evidencef 

NR* PERRYt T h a t ’s right, y o u r  Honor.

COURTS Doos tho stats of South Carolina have 

any evidence?

NR. BRANDON: No, y o u r  Honor, wo bars nono.

COURTS All right. You nay p u r s u e •

HR. WOLFSi If y o u r  H o n o r  w ill pesnait no, X 

haws ondoavorod to oooporato w i t h  tho A t t o m o y  Oonoral 

a n d  his staff who havo boon so kind. And as X understood 

it n o  ovidoneo was to bo subnit tod, u n d o r  tho pre-trial ordi 

and, of oourso, wo d i d n ’t attesqpt to bring anybody hors.

COURTS Noll, solicitor, tho purpose of tho 

pre-trial was to inquire of Counsel as to what wa night 

expect today and bo guided thereby in allocating tho tins as 

purposes o f  tho Court, And if ho ha d  ha d  sons competent 

ovidoneo to offer X w o u l d  not havo kept b i n  from it. And 

then if yo u  had nado a  notion upon showing, y o u  w ould bo

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allowed to  rebut and bring In other evidence and, o f  course, 

he would have been able to  reply to  youra. That would 

have been the format.

The purpose o f  the p r e -t r ia l  was not to  keep 

anybody from producing evidence but Just to  see what the 

procedure would be. There is  no n ecessity  fo r  evidence on 

the part o f  the State or on your p art, as an o f f i c e r  o f  this 

sta te  and an o f f i c e r  o f  th is  Court, to  present evidence.

I don’ t think that there is  any disagreement but that any 

o f  the o f f i c i a l  records would be properly considered. I 

think th a t 's  what the C ircu it Court meant and th a t ’ s what 

I have been trying to do unless there is  something unusual, 

outside o f  the record , which I haven't seen here. I don’ t 

know o f anything. A ll r ig h t, s i r ,  proceed.

MR. PERRf: Now, may i t  please the Court, our

arguments, o f  course, may be s p e c i f ic a lly  summarised in the 

language in which, o f  course, the a llegation s are variously 

stated in the P etition . Paragraph number fiv e  o f  the 

Amended P etition  fo r  Writ o f  Habeas Corpus re fers  to  the 

issue o f  systematic exclusion o f  negroes from the Jury 

In Dorchester County, or o f  a system atic lim ita tion  o f  the 

extent o f  th e ir  inclusion  within those Juries.

COURT: Mr. Perry, le t  me interrupt you. Now

what issu es , other than that which your associate counsel 

has expressed him self upon which he says is  an issu e , are

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t h m  that h are no t  boo n  presented to and passed upon by 

Courts o f  ro o o r d  In tbo stato o f  South Corolinsf

MX. MERRY: Well, y o u r  Honor, any I r ofor yo u

to paragraph It o f  tbo Amended Petition for Writ of Baboaa 

Corpus. Nov, In that paragraph vo bars summarised tho 

m a n n e r  in w hleh oaeh o f  tho issuss, allogod in this Potltlo 

bars b o o n  previously prooontod.

COURT: All right, sir. But you find n o  noeoss

lty o f  o f f ering any o t h o r  p r o o f  thereabouts than has boon 

offered today by one Counsel o r  another?

MR. PERRY: That Is correct, sir.

COURT: All right, sir.

MR, PERRY: The Issue presented In paragraph

13b was deemed to hare been the only one which required 

the presentation o f  no w  evidence.

COURT: Z understand, thank yo u  very much.

MR. PERRY: And the transcripts o f  roeords

before y o u r  Honor, w e  think, contain the Issues, the erlden 

the testlaony which was presented upon which we rely to 

sustain tho othor co n t e n t i o n s .

COURT: Yes, sir.

MR. PERRY: If they can bo sustained.

COURT: All right, I will hoa r  any legal arguae

y o u  care to make and then h o a r  from tho Attorney General 

and then h o a r  y our reply,

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HR. PERRYs Very good, p o u r  Honor. Mow, u  

X told, o f  course, paragraph nu m b e r  5 oontalns o u r  position 

on the issue of systematic exclusion or systematic linitatim 

in the amount of the inclusion and, of course, we feel that 

the evidence which has been presented in the case, certainly 

the evidence presented in the Habeas Corpus Proceeding 

which was held in the State Courts of South Carolina 

sustains our position on that aubjeot. And their review-— ' 

An independent review by this Court of the Habeas Corpus 

Record made in the State Court will sustain our argument 

on that point.

It's an evidentuary question. We know, of count 

y o u r  H onor is going to apply well settled federal principal! 

in reviewing that record.

The cases are numerous and do not need to be 

recited here, however, we will han d  them in to the Court.

COURT* Well, I have been through with so many 

others o f  these that I have some knowledge of it. Is there 

anything that you think the Court hasn't been advised off 

You have been Counsel in the most important —  not most 

important because everybody's case is important, but those 

which received more attention and r e v i e w s ; so if there is 

something that y o u  think yo u  haven't brought to my attention 

before, don't hesitate to do that. All right, sir.

MR. PERRY* Thank you, y o u r  Honor. How, your

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Honor, u  to tho allegation which la Included In paragraph 

6, we respsotfully refer your H o n o r  t o  the record In the 

Habeas Corpus Proceeding concerning that subject. Now, of 

course, this subject has to do with, o f  course, the Issue 

o f  the arralgnasnt proceeding*

Now, that Issue was m i tigated In the Court of 

Central Sessions, o r  rather, In toe Court o f  Common Pleas 

f o r  Richland County In the State Habeas Corpus Proceeding.

The law Is well settled, ha v i n g  been settled 

most recently In Hamilton ▼  Alabama, on the right of the 

accu s e d  to counsel during the arraignment proceeding, which 

In the Alabama Case was found to be e erltleal stage o f  

the proceeding* Now, o f  course, the evidence Is already In 

Vs submit that record to your Honor and suggest, o f  course, 

that y o u r  H o n o r  w l U ,  I know, apply w ell recognised princip 

In reviewing the allegations we make hers* And based on 

the testimony which was taken on that ground there Is n o  

further evidence to present on that ground. We merely 

aak this Court conduct an indspendent review of the State 

Habeas Corpus Procssdlng on that ground.

As to ths allegations contained In paragraph 

n u m b e r  7 of the Amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus 

w hich has to do wit h  the question of w h e t h e r  the Petitioner 

was given an unequivocal re c o r d  of all o f  the proceedings 

In the Court of General Sessions for Dorohsster County;

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o f  course, that ground was i n c luded In this petition out ^  

o f  on abundance of oautlon bseauss o f  the fast that ths 

evidence, as It was developed In tho Habeas Corpus Proeeedli 

left sons question concerning precisely what happened on 

Monday, April 2nd, 1962. This was the day on which Petltlo 

was allegedly first brought into the Court, and during whlo 

tine in the State Habeas Corpus Proceedings it was testlfle 

that he was required to make a ple a  to the indictment In 

the absence o f  his Counsel. Now, there was n o  record made 

o f  that proceeding but the Court w ill recall, froa review 

o f  the record, that on Wednesday, April A, 1962, at the 

commencement of the Petitioner's trial that, of course, 

the record does reflect that no n a t t e r  what happened on 

the first ooeaslon that another arraignment was at that 

time held.

COURTt At the second arraignment you did have

Counsel?

MR. PERRYi Yes, sir.

C O U R T .• Not Counsel who are present today but 

other Counsel?

MR. PERRY: O t h e r  Counsel.

COURT: All right.

MR. PERRY: That is  co rre ct , your Honor. And

so , that Is the contention, as I say, was Included In th is 

P etition  out o f  an abundance o f  caution in order that, o f

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cou rt* , th is  Court n ight, in conducting it *  independent * 

review, make any determination* which might appear Just and 

proper under the circumstances to  your Honor.

As to  the a llegation s contained in paragraph 8 

o f  the Amended P etition  fo r  Writ o f  Habeas Corpus:

This paragraph concerns i t s e l f  with the fa ct that the

P etition er appeared at a preliminary hearing p r io r  to  his 

indictment and t r ia l  and that, o f  course, he did not, at 

that time, have any Counsel present with him nor did he hav< 

Counsel appointed fo r  him nor did he have the opportunity 

to confer with Counsel. How, here again, the statement 

which I have made with reference to  the proceeding paragraph 

is  that th is paragraph was Inserted in th is P etition  again 

out o f  an abundance o f  caution. The testimony taken during 

the State Habeas Corpus Proceeding re fers to  a p re -t r ia l  

hearing. I readily concede that the evidence in that recorjl 

does hot show that the accused was ca lled  upon to plead 

and, o f  course, with that in mind, the Court may well 

recognise the way th is particu lar subject has been treated , 

when the accused is  not ca lled  upon to plead that, o f  co u n t

the preliminary hearing, at least in the State o f  South 

Carolina, is  not a c r i t i c a l  stage as was declared to  be 

the case in White v. Maryland, where the accused was ca lled  

upon to  plead and d id , in  fa ct,p lea d .

COUHT: Yes, s ir .

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MR. PERRY: Mow, as to  ths a llegation s in

paragraph 9* your Honor, hsre again there is  no testimony 

in the State Habeas Corpus Proceedings nor is  there any 

evidence in the f i r s t  tran scrip t o f  record o f  the t r ia l  

held in A p r il, 1962, concerning whether the accused was 

ever given a copy o f  the indictment as is  required in the 

South Carolina Code o f  Laws, section  17-$Q8. Me submit 

th at, o f  course, i f  th is  is  true then we suggest that the 

record does not ind icate  that a copy o f  the indictment was 

ever given to  the accused and the fa c t ,  o f  course, the 

testimony in the State Habeas Corpus Proceedings would seem 

to  ind icate  otherwise then, o f  course, th is  would, o f  coursi 

constitu te  a fa ilu re  on the part o f  the State to  fo llow  the 

procedures o f  South Carolina Law and that, hence, there is  

a federa l due process argument present in  th is  ground.

And we resp ectfu lly  urge that, o f  course, the fa ilu re  to  

furnish the accused with a copy constitutes a denial o f  due 

process .

As to  the a llegations in paragraph number 10: 

The contention here is  that section  16-71 o f  the South 

Carolina Code o f  Laws fo r  1962, which purport to  define the 

crime o f  rape in South Carolina is  upon i t ' s  face vague, 

in d e fin ite  and uncertain as upon i t s  face and as construed 

in th is  case, vague, in d e fin ite , and uncertain. Of course, 

the Court w il l  r e c a ll  that the words o f  th is statute —

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COURT: "That whosoever sh a ll hava carnal 

intercourse with a woman without her consent sh a ll he 

o f  rape."

g u ilt

MR. PERRY: That is  co rre ct . Your Honor, o f

course, ravaged is  the thing which gives us ooneem here. 

That p articu lar  word does not nean the penetration by the 

male in to  the fem ale, we resp ectfu lly  submit, although I 

resp ectfu lly  a lso  acknowledge th at, o f  course, the Supreme 

Court o f  South Carolina has so  found.

COURT: Vho e lse  would properly in terpret the

laws o f  South Carolina as applied in the State Court except 

the South Carolina Court?

MR. PERRY: V e il, your Honor, the South Carolinji

Supreme Court is  certa in ly  a very exce llen t authority to  

in terpret South Carolina Statutes, but where in the state 

o f  South Carolina, through i t s  Supreme Court, gives meaning 

to  i t s  words, o f  course, extend beyond th is ordinary meanin 

which, o f  course, gives then meaning which do not appear on 

th e ir  fa ce , i t  is  resp ectfu lly  submitted the words are 

given meanings which do not necessarily  appear cm th e ir  fac^ 

and, hence, there is  no standard by which members o f  the 

public can be guided, concerning whether certain  conduct is  

proh ibited  by that sta tu te .

Langatta v . New Jersey i s ,  o f  course, a w ell 

known case on the question o f  vagueness in the wording o f

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general sta tu tes. Now, there has been aany more d ecis ion s , 

recen tly ; Barr v .  The City o f  Columbia and Bowie v. The 

City o f  Columbia, in which, o f  course, a trespasser in th is 

state was deemed to be vague by reason o f  the fa ct i t  was 

given a rule which did not appear in  the words which were 

included. And so i t  is  a w ell recognised p rin cipa l o f  

con stitu tion a l law that where a statute i s ,  upon i t s  fa ce , 

vague in that i t  does n ot, by the words which compiles that 

sta tu te , convey a plain  unequivocal meaning to the public 

concerning p rec ise ly  what conduct is  prohibited then, o f  

course, that statute is  said to  be vague and, o f  course, 

a conviction  under that statute must f a l l  under due process 

o f  law under the Fourteenth Amendment. And we so urge 

that section  16-71 o f  the Code o f  Laws o f  South Carolina is  

o ffen sive  to th is  p articu lar statute.

Now, as to  the a llegations contained in parage 

number 11: In th is paragraph i t  is  contended that this

defendant was convicted without proof o f  every essen tia l 

element o f  the crime charged and, o f  course, th erefore , the 

conviction  v iolated  due process.

Now, the record in th is case, o f  course, I knu 

four Honor has already reviewed i t  and w ill  review i t  again 

In lig h t o f  th is argument. The testimony which was presented 

on the question o f  rape, which I understand must include 

the element o f  penetration, was a question by Mr. W olfe, the

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Prosecutor, a  question directed on direot examinations 

D i d  hs ravish o r  rsps you, o r  eould it have boon, d i d  its 

rape o r  ravish you, and that t o  this question the proseeutr 

replied, yes.

Now, then the next evidence in the record cm 

the question o f  whether there was penetration, of course, 

appears in testimony of the physician who examined the 

prosecutrix and who testified he conducted an examination 

and, of course, that there was evidence o f  sexual lnt e r e o u n  

Now, we respectfully show that nowhere in the record is 

there evidence that this Petitioner accomplished the matter 

of penetration which, of course, is a necessary element of 

the offense of rape. And, of course, that b eing the case, 

the conviction rests upon a record which does not contain 

the p roof of the essential element of the crime, as was 

found to be the oase in Thompson v. The City of Louisville, 

and t h e r e f o r e , the conviction violates due process of law.

Now, your Honor, as to allegations contained in 

paragraph number 12s There was, of o o u r s e , testimony by 

the sheriff of Dorchester County that he talked with the 

accused and, of course, the accused made a statement to him, 

There was never any testimony as to what that statement was 

however, there was a positive assertion on the p a r t  of the 

Witness that the accused did in fact make a statement and, 

of course, the Jury certainly could and most probably did

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the impression that the accused made an admission o f  v 

fa ct to  the S h e r iff . This being the case, o f  course, the 

testimony concerning whether the defendant or the accused 

made a statement, the voluntariness o f  that statement shoul< 

have been gone in to  by the Court in the absnece o f  the 

•Jury and, o f  course, the Court should have made a determinst 

f i r s t  o f  a l l ,  in the absence o f  the Jury, concerning whether 

any statement made was in fa ct free ly  and voluntarily  made. 

And may I add, under a l l  o f  the other safeguards which the 

Supreme Court o f  the United States says must accompany 

making o f  such statements. I have reference to the more 

recent cases o f  the Supreme Court including Escobedo v. 

I l l in o i s .  Not only whether the confession was obtained 

free o f  physical coercion  but a lso whether obtained under 

circumstances where the accused had the right to confer with 

counsel p r io r  to  making such an admission. Of course, four 

Honor, that is  our position  and, o f  course, we respectfu lly  

contend that these are very legitim ate p os it ion s . That, 

o f  course, there are cases which are w ell recognised and 

which do apply to  the a llegations which we make here in 

th is  instance. The grounds contained in paragraph 13a, 

o f  course, we resp ectfu lly  urge to th is Court. We say that 

the death penalty in rape cases as required by Section 16-72 

o f  the 1962 Code is  in v io la tion  o f  the l ig h t  and Fourteenth 

Amendment because i t  Imposes a cruel and unusual punishment.

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As y o u r  H o n o r  w ell knows, o f  course, there is n o t  —  at 

least, not yet, any authority for this statement Insofar as 

tho death penalty In rape eases Is e o n e e m e d .  There Is amp] 

authority on that subject with reference to some other 

offenses w hich were collected In the decision of the Court 

whe n  it denied the Petition for Writ of Certiorari In 

Blackman v. Alabama, and, of course, we respectfully urge —  

I know, of course, 1 recognise that the Court o f  Appeals 

for the Fourth Circuit has only recently said that this is 

an issue which it will not rule upon until the Supreme Couri 

o f  the United States has ruled upon it, hut we respectfully 

urge to y o u r  H onor that the death penalty in rape oases, 

and this is particularly true In oases where there has been 

no physical violence, constitutes a cruel and unusual 

punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amend- 

meats*

We would like the Court to take due notice of 

our positions. We respectfully urge each of the positions 

which we have set forth.

COURT: All right, sir. Since the Fourth

C i r c u i t ’s opinion, I have reviewed, as you are well aware, 

because we had a pre-trial o n  it, the entire record in 

this case and will review it again. I don't know whether 

y o u  o r  the advocate told the Circuit Court I hadn't read 

the record o r  not but somebody misinformed them. So 1  hope

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the next tint y o u  all go u p  than*, I f  y o u  go, that tbajr * 

w i l l  ha correctly Informed, that X hart read thl» «ora 

o f  tan than not*

MR. FERRY: Your Honor, could w«, at this tins,

make sons explanation?

COURT: It doesn*t naka any difference, I have

n o  faaling. Thara is ona question I have to ask yo u  shout. 

You said s o b m)thing about violence; do y o u  slain that thara 

is n o  avidanoa o f  violanoa here*

MR. PERRY: Mo, y o u r  Honor, we do not naka any

suah claim.

COURT: In o t h e r w o r d s , you claim thara is no

avidanoa o f  penetration sufficient to constitute the crime 

o f  rape?

MR. FIRRY: That is oorreot.

COURT: All right, that olearifies that. All

right, Mr. Brandon.

MR. BRANDOH: May it please the Court, wa

believe ou r  Brief as to the matter in paragraph five will 

amply present the argument if y o u  use the decision from the 

Supreme Court. It sets forth the rationality of that 

decision and wa think that it clearly shows it was not 

exclusion of negroes from the Jury and n o  total exclusion 

whatsoever.

As to paragraph six wa think his arraignment

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baa bee n  fully and adequately covered la the hearing before 

J udge Orimball and In the deelalon In the Supreme Court in 

the eeoond ease which waa appealed from the Habeas Corpus 

Proceeding. The record there will fully show that he was 

duly arraigned and that he wa i v e d  the three day eite o f  his 

indietaent*

As to the charge in paragraph 7 that he was not 

given a copy of the record in reference to the transcripts 

The original trial will show that Judge Griffith directed 

the entire record be printed after the Appellant h a d  proposi 

printing only part of It and the State ha d  proposed printini 

another part*

COURT: Veil, did he get a copy of itf

MR. BRANDON: Well, of course, Counsel represen

h i m  on appeal.

COURT: Well, did he get a copy of itt

MR. BRANDON: Tea, sir.

MR. PERRY: Copy of what, Mr. Brandon?

MR. BRANDON: Copy of the transorlpt of the

original trial,

MR, PERRY: Oh, yes, a  copy of the original

trial, y o u r  Honor.

COURT: All right, Co ahead, sir.

MR. BRANDON: As to paragraph nine that he was

given a  preliminary hearing without Counsel is manufactured

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12#

ftlMMt out o f  whole cloth. Tht foot* developed here before 

Judge Orlmball tad tht opinion before tht Supreme Court 

thou that ht was taken btfort tht magiatrat®, advised of 

hit rights, told that ht was ohargad with a strlous crime, 

that ht nttdtd a lawyer and that tht Court would appoint 

h l n  ont if ht could not stourt ont. We think, instoad of 

violating tht Dofondant's rights, wt think that is ont of 

tht oltartr examples of having his rights explained to hln* 

How, in paragraph 9 thay dtny a raoalpt of a copy o f  tht 

indiotnont. Now, thay admit that in paragraph 6 whan thay 

art complaining about btlng arraigned but thay dtny it in 

paragraph 9* In any event we think it*s immaterial whether 

ht got it or not. Tht three day cite of the indictment is 

a provision, of course, allowing the Defendant three days 

between his indictment and his trial, and the record clear! 

shows that he waived that in this case and that he had 

Counsel present at all critical times. Nov, there has 

bee n  n o  showing that he asked for a  copy of the indictment, 

that he offered to pay the fee or he was prejudiced by not 

having a copy. And further, we think it is d e a r  that he 

absolutely waived that provision. That provision is n o t h i n  

more than the three day waiving period. Theyare the same 

things, the same statute and the record clearly shows it 

was waived.

Now, as to the charge that the statute under

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which he waa convicted la vague, in d e fin ite , and uncertain* 

We think that haa been previously l it ig a te d  In the Supreme 

Court and i t  was the baala o f  appeal there and the Supreme 

Court defined the words rape and ravished and said that 

they have w ell know plain  English meaning. And they defined 

rape in that case as being e l ic it e d  sexual intercourse with­

out consent, which in e f f e c t ,  is  by fo r c e , duress, in tim i­

dation or  p ossib le  in cep tion ; and further that ravish means 

to  commit rape, We think that the argument is  auspicious 

o f  that sta tu te , is  vague and in d e fin ite  upon i t s  fa ce .

Paragraph 11: He a lleges that every essentia

element o f  the crime was not proven but the only element 

any argument was d irected  to  was penetration and that 

argument was a s p e c if ic  grounds o f  appeal in the State 

against Moorer. That was the reason the Court defined rape 

and ravished, and held that the questioning that was 

propounded to the prosecuting witness was proper under those 

circum stances, she being a married woman and w ell fam iliar 

with i t .

Further, I w ill  d irect the Court’ s a tten tion , 

as I  am sure i t  has already been, to  the previous testimony 

o f  th is woman as to  the actual physical encounter with the 

defendant In that case. There is  not the s lig h tes t  doubt, 

in  reading her testimony as a whole, that th is  act was 

completed including penetration which is  a l l  that is  necesaaz

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under the law In th is  s ta te .

Mow, as to  paragraph 12: The record shows tit
ths S h e r iff  and Deputy S h e r iff ,  in  the county, were question  

as to  the making o f  a statement by defendant and that 

they t e s t i f ie d  that he did make a statement. There is  noth!i 

showing what was made or what was sa id , no occasion what­

soever that i t  was incrim inatory or exculpatory. I t  was 

not admitted in to  evidence at any time. I t  was excluded 

com pletely. I t  never became a part o f  the case. I t  was 

not considered by the Jury, The defendant at no time moved 

to  have that examination conducted in the absence o f  the 

Jury. He at no time moved to  have i t  str ick en . He at no 

time moved to  have the charge abolished. The matter was 

simply excluded and never became a part o f  the t r i a l .  The 

defendant, at that tim e, had retained counsel as the record 

w il l  show. Since that time he has another counsel that 

participated  in that appeal and since that appeal he has 

had another counsel who participated  before the Supreme 

Court o f  South Carolina and before th is Court and, now, 

today, we have another one added. We can see where no 

prejudice resulted to  the defendant on that matter whatsoever

Now, as to  paragraph 13: I  am pleased to  see

that counsel concedes that there can be no contention that 

there was no physical v iolence in th is case. A simple 

reading o f  several pages o f  the or ig in a l transcript shows

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that this vis ona o f  tho m t  brutal rapss s w  parpatratod 

In thla H i l l  and that tha likelihood la that this woman 

la axtraasly lucky that aha vaa not killed* Zt aauld not 

ba argued that aha was not In anywise In danger.

Zn ou r  Brief, o f  course, we alta tha aaaa of 

Rudolph against Alohas*, where aartlorarl was danlad in a 

aaaa making a similar sontantlon as nada hart, that tha 

daath penalty for rape aonstitutas a arual an d  unusual 

punishment* We would submit that as balng tha authority 

for tha danlal In this aaaa*

Mow, as t o  1 3 b * O u r  position has boon nada 

e laar during tha whola c o u n t  o f  this prooaadlng today*

Wa think that suoh mattar is antlraly irrelevant, It aould 

have n o  approprlatdv , n o  dlraat o r  competent n l a t l o n s h l p  

to tha ma t t a r  which Is bafora tha Court* Tha aattar of tha 

santanea In this stats, as tha Court wall knows and as 

Counsal knows, Is up to tha Jury In a n p a  oasa; thay altha 

recommend It or thay don't. Thay did not In this oasa.

Thank you, y o u r  Honor*

COURT* Tas, sir.

MR. PERRYi Nothing In raply, y our Honor. Your 

Honor, wa apologias to tha Court for not having n d u c a d  our 

position In writ i n g  p r i o r  to this time and no w  ask laava 

to do so*

COURT: All right, how mush tins do yo u  need*

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UK* FSRRTs Is your Honor disposed to giro us* 

fifteen days? Well, your Honor, of oourso, that It as to 

oil Issttos oxoopt to the issuos as to Rule 13b. Of course, 

at your Honor recognises, wo hart, at other stages of this 

proceedings, atkod for noro tint to dorslops tho position 

in 13b# And, of oourso, tho fifteen days Z now ask for 

would not bo ouffieiont as to dorslop our position on 13b 

but as to tho othor portion of tho rooord it toons to no 

that wo could do it in fiftoon days.

COURT* All right, sir. What do you want any 

noro tino for so far as tho development of the othor parts 

of tho record is concerned? Can’t your argunont bo hero, 

la 13b, as to tho propriety of it?

NR. FSRRTs We could advance argunont on that,

your Honor.

COURTS Well, I noan, can it bo done?

MR. FSRRTs Mr* Heffron will speak as to that,

your Honor.

MR. KKFFROMs If I nay, your Honor?

COURTS Certainly.

MR. HEFFRONs We would like sixty days to bo 

able to go through those materials there and produce a 

report. Wo can, of course, give you argument* about tho 

issues hero} that is, wo can present argunont presenting 

tho theoretical basis of tho contentions outlined in 13b

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As tilings n e w  s tand vs hats a s  proof* Ou r  witness was n o t

allows* to testify and our proffered exhibits wars oxsludod.
Is

So w i t h  those H a l t s  o n  the record it/very difficult to 

argue from nothing.

COURT: well, y o u  have ha d  the evidence for c o m

tins, if y o u  call it evidence* haven't you?

MR. H E P F R Q N : Well, we have been through all of

that , y o u r  Honor.

COURT: Yes, sir, we have been through all of

that and I have ruled that it's inooapetent. In fifteen dayn 

you can present o r  n o t  present, i f  yo u  desire, w h e t h e r  or 

not it's ooapetent, because I'm not going to have you do 

Indirectly what yo u  can not do legally and directly.

It nay be y o u r  purpose to have other issues 

here than the proper issues in this case but ay responsiblli 

here is to see that the Issues here are the proper issues ap 

that is the reason I stake the rulings Z do, and I have.

And 1 have been Indulgent as I thought I could u nder ay 

responsibility. There is n o  use in ay repeating what has 

already been said and in the record) y o u  have the record, 

y o u  d on't have to take any exceptions, yo u  have aoeess to 

such court of appeals as in their w i s d o a  they accept your 

appeal. And I, o f  course, will be of such assistance as 

I can in expediting you r  appearance in that Court.

As far as the legal arguswnts are concerned I

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w o u l d  U k o  t o  have the logoi argument in fifteen days i f  f m  

have any legal argument• aside from sene talentifie theory 

o r  tone raeial hope that this la competent e v i d e n c e . You 

tee, this it a Court o f  jus ties and that it all X an inter­

ested in, justice o f  a nan's petition* And all o ther things 

proving o t h e r  things whioh are extraneous are not a part of 

justice sad, unless It relates to this nan, and y o u  have not 

proved the relation n o r  have yo u  tendered the p roof in 

pro p e r  fora* It the proof y o u  were to offer would in any 

way prove in any way anything in reference to this nan hut 

if y o u  say that X made a mistake on that X would like to 

h e a r  from yo u  within the fifteen day period as to the legal 

Situation which applies thereto.

These will he filed with the Clerk of Court.

how, Mr. Attorney General, what else would you

have?

MR. B R A N D O N : Ve w o u l d  like the right to file

<me at the same time, y our Honor.

COURT: I think that's proper. You see, the

Attorney General complied with the rules and filed the Brief 

on tine, y o u  all did not, Petitioner did not. The Court 

is not going to take any action thereon because, as X say, 

the Court always leans over backward in a case of this 

kind because o f  the fact that a man's life is involved.

That, X think I have done. I will ask you, now, does

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Petitioner M r #  anything elae at this hearing b®aaua® Z 

w o u l d  be gla d  to M a r  tram you*

MB, PEART: Nothing further fro® th® Petitioner

COURT: 111 right. Pro* th# Attorney General*

MR, BRANDON: Nothing further, y o u r  Honor.

COURT: Medan Clerk, yo u  hare the record# and

y o u  nay take care of t hen and the M a r a M l  will aaaiat you 

in aealing then.

Thank yo u  so very nuoh, Gentlemen.

(4:40 P.M.)

131

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132

I c e r t ify  that the foregoing 131 typewritten 

pages were transcribed from my shorthand notes that were 

taken at the stated time and p lace.

JOSEPH D. SMITHt Court Reporter

259



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tharato, Tha natter m m  haard hy aa ao Jtaly 5, IfftS.

»• diaasraawant with RWMpttowi i, f* 4, and 5 1*
with. «h« font thereof only. Untor tha to«HUtto« of !ggMSSt&L

v. totowity Aaaoetotton, «0 *.C. 574, 77 ».«. 38»# it *to«ar* that
tftto Qewrt to without to tola uyen what ahalt ha
fwmead to as exeapelan. ConaaqMMtiT* raajwadants* ^tofoaad

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quaatton, they prc»:ns« that Ewawytton 7 ha dalatod to lt» antiraty.
m e w p t & m  7 ia at follow*!

ito toner m « 4  aa a nattar of law to toaytog 
a r n U a t t U  ftttiev tor a » | t o l t o w < f 7 "  tha srouoda that ha waa net atotoad of rtoht 

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aa aat forth In »eto or tor,

ua- 261



<*• are Deputy Sheriff Ch U  MarahantT
A. That** eight.
<*« And you ate a deputy Shneiff at Ub iA w i t  ftneatjt
A. that* a right.
Q» I** »*»*• ahathe* «r oat yaw ware atitai ia that

eapneity aa ar sNw t  December I4th» 194111
A. Ther’a right.
Q. did y m  h a m  aaaaaiaa «a arrest the petitioner la this 

aaaa, Laais Hearer?
A. Z did.
q« 0p*» abac authority did yew enroot this petitioner?
A. I «aa called out at the Jail cad given a warrant* and tht 

Chaif a< hsllae aad myself want avewad «a floorer** haaaa and mads 
the araaat at hi* grandmother's haaaa* I believe.

Q. Aad at what tins waa thatt
A. It was Just shortly after dark. I aouldn’t swear exactly 

what tie* it was.
Q. was he at hit grandmother** haws* then you arrested him?
a . i guess it was her house. I couldn't say for sure whose 

house it was.
Old you hews s warrant la your possession?

A. Ua had eh# wsrrant* yea.
Q. »id yaw explain tha warrant to hiw?
A. tha Chief of %liea* Mr. Pohhins, did.
Q. ’--hat sis* did you say to hiw* if anything, at that tins* 

at the time you plaead him uadar arraatt
A. w* taken hi* on back to Jail from the house.
V. You didn’t eay anything to him! ton didn't malt* any 

statement* to him?
A. wa carried him t* the jail and than taken him by this 

lady's house for positive idantifisatfan* and than w* carried him 
en back to the jell and lacked him up.

123- 262



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Q. Did ywi momot we M m Wt b f d n  t O d i M t i  W *D w  or 

*•» ko w M  to *» to ttro. JMkootm*o fcoooo fWr U w tU U ai& w l 
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A. in , t o t  teo Aida*ft n f w «  to  » .

Q. »* dido*ft t«f«M  «o § ft 
Am Mil*

Q. Aad tarn fM  took Mm d m ,  AM yw votptro M m to 
OthlMft Mnaatf to Mm. Jtkaotoof

A. v« carried M m start t»  Stew koooo. Mooror taf waited tm  

mm. Jdmmmm tar o ooteor Wf m w , «wl — •

Q. X dido*ft p t  M at.

a . Vo 4 tW 'l Hmm to . N n n r ted rnkW  tar Mm. J t a t M  
£wr a ouobov of ?oora# aod dm  tea* Mm.

X M M  ] W  ffepoitdilr kod M M  y U w i 1m  tar o t m o m , m  
dm oaold identify MMI

A. Wo total M m to tho tamo, y*».

Q. Von took Mm to cte hoiioof 
A. Bo i ' i  oom ooft.

« . Aod ate ldm tlflod MM  
A. TOO.
Q. Aod oft ftteft PM tiM lM  slo t, te  did w t Horn oo otcomor 

wick MM

124- 263



\ z

A. m . M  didn’t I m  M  r n w y .

tr SfeeMfr « H H m , 9m m* « M m < U b » T U «  «ft*t to 0— eolf 
A. X didn't.

^  Q. «eo didn't?
A. Mo.
Q. woo ho advised of Hli sight to "inriril to m v  preeoneet 
A. Mot at that tint. ao I eay, oa ware oaly proooot M t h  

hi* about too or fiftooo Mantas at that Hat,
<J* Mow, tmm you and chief MsfcMoe ottfe Maersr at all tioaa 

at too t o o anraatod M a g  woo Hooooo la tha praoaaco of ye* m d 
O 4of Bobbins at all M ata aftat fow arrested M a  that afteraaaaf 

A. Until to locked hti op, yes.
Q. Until yea locked hist op?
A. Yea, air.
Q. Me** did 700 at any M a a  hoar Chief MebMae advise Ida 

of hia right to Oattaaal?
A. 1 aouln't a ay whether ho did or net. T couldn't sneeer 

chat. If ho did. X dida*t hoar it.
Q. Md aitfear of yoo adoiaa hi* of Hia right* to refuse «a 

ha pieced in the presence of Mrs. Johnston far IdaotU teat loot 
A. Say M a t  again.
'm. Bid yoo or sheriff Bobbin* advise his* of M e  right to, 

or that he did net heoe to ho placed in M e  presence of Mre. 
Johaeton for identification purposes, if ho did not wont tot 

A. Jack wan talking to hi*. Moo. what ha told hi*. X 
don’t know. Jack knooed tha boyt 1 didn't hoeo Ha .  That woe the 
first M o t  X had ever seen him.

Q. And yoo didn't hear Sheriff Robbins advise hi* of any of 
hia rights, or of his right to refuse t# ha plaaad in grant of Mra. 
Jshnatea, IF ha did. net oant to?

A. Me. hot na and Chfef weren't together ovary admit* af tha
tiaw.

M*. SROVWi We have nothing farther, year Honor.

125 264



A. V«t t it .
<J* toa*. pw, sic.
X** CDOMl « M  A M  M W N i .

KR. j. V. w m im , a oUaaaa *a11*4 aa M hU ac t o  pati* 
Haa<r, btiai l in t  Ally n h h , M M lftwi

<i. atorlff M A m,  n  iW fiiM M i Otiaf W ttU i, t o t  i t
fame Call aaaa, ale?

a.  J. w. fcafebiaa.

Q. J* W. Kabbiaa? 
a* Xm ,  a ir .

<*• ami t o t  ia fans oliialai w w a t U a i  till t o  Catiay ai  
Qastoatsr?

a.  chiaf of itoliaa aC t o  to n  at i t .  Oaaaga.

<«. t o  axa Chiaf of lalAaa n£ t o  t o *  ai S t. Oaargat 
a .  t o .

0. tor# fan acting la tliat alfiaial sayaalty an as about t o  
I M A  of Doaaabas, 19AU 

A. t o  lath?
Q. t o  lAth of Beeatoe, 1911.

A. Z was.
<4.  unwld ysa atata t o t o v  as not yaa to ft  aaaatian ta a to  

t o  aesast of t o  patit&aaar* L w lt Maasas, along aitb Qayaty 
ftWUU Mas tone?

A. XXw, Z v to v a ft a sail* X gaass, aaaamft iiOO a*alaak la  
Itui aXtasHB ta i a fa it ta tAa caonsy Jail i that tbay had a warrant 

t o t  to y  ta a f  i-a a r to .

•lit- 265



<3* **m v*tat, me to whoa « t  tbat wsetant directed, or whew 
wan that warrant directed a*ainetT

Louis Hooter.
4̂# Did you srrsst Louis hsovar that aitsraosaT

X did.
L&d you have tha warrant with yaw wktea you snsatsd hint
Isa, sir.

Q* Chiaf, at tha tins you arrested mmror, did you have s
eaovarsetiee with WUst

a . X told hi« that we hod m  arraet warrant tor him to Che 
prmoac* of hi» - 1 don't knew whether it wee his sister or not,
hut M s  graisdsmhe* was In the heuee, sad Lewis m m  there. Touts 
nos seated at a table with M s  foot under th« table, sod w  walked 
is th« bowse, m 4  X pulled «h« warrant out and told Lode that X 
had m mssmt mxxmt, fog Mat, and I road tha warrant to Touts In 
tha presence of h U  grsodaother, and Mr. aaarehaat m m  el oar with 
m , dafu<^ Sheriff Merchant.

<4* how, after you toad tha waarrant to hi®, a h M  did yau da,
if myUiixw'i

a. well, vm carried M s  around to d w  county M U .  X thought
that I knew wools floorer. t was pretty satistlad that l imsw hi®, 
mui t know that ti->is M>y in <p*entie» had been NMidag for has.
Johns coa for a ouwber of years - X knew that - hut to bo on tha 
safe aids, l told Deputy Sheriff Merchant, “Let's run hi® hy tha 

-j htwit and he sure we have tha tight fallow bare. M *  la a sariose 
charge''. And we tiroppad by tha house with hin, and Mr*. Jahnetoo 
«ume to the door, along with Dr. Johnston, and X aaitad Louis to stag 
out a t tha car. Ha stepped out of tha car, and Mrs. Johnston said, 
"yes. that's Louis Mooror". And we proceeded an to tha fiewoty 
Jail witd him.

U» ■ ho you took bin Chare for tha potpaaa of hawing bin
identified*

A. tor positive identifieafcion.
Q, lor positive identification?
A .  Vos*

-127- 266



<4 *y Mw. Jtoooteof 
4 . A hM* • Sight, 
q. nag mmi I twirl f  1 g  Matf 
4 . SIM « 4 .

M U  M M M H  Mi **aw* aotfeKm «k* M m *. pomr Im » .

mmjmmmmL

<5. Chig, you «** M m  Chiof o f Mile* ot St. 0****#'?
4. Yo», (it.
Q. And tbit eriat took (A«m  ia M mi Y a w  (Ml St. GootgoT 
4* H u m *# *******.
Q. YhtvtiMni. you o n  acting aw CMM o f % lie*  «N » you 

mud* i8st» «rr*»t?
4. That*# sight.
q. llMuk you. r i i .  dmm 4mm,
vat oamtt you **# o w u o i,  *4*.

m, H » m .  W A LT* * a», J R . ,  a  * * * * *  c « l l a d  o n  b o K M f  o f  M m  

p o s i t io n * * ,  'M in e  f i n e  d u ly  m e n ,  t m t i f i o o t

■MaMft w  i t t .m *
<4 M i W  YOU kindly otot* yo u* tail non*, sir?
4 . *fa#t Watte HUA t o n , JUaio*.
Q. A** you «  wogUtrot* in  Mm County o f  aorch**t*r?
4. I aw.
<4 And in Mm City o f  S t. c«o*g«?
4 . Yhot*o ee n o ct.

<4 Mr. do you know Mm  position*. Lout* Moo***, * i* t
4. I do.
Q. lo ho ( t o o t  in court today, *i*f 
■4. Ho 1«.
<4 I ionite you* ottontion te Docoteo* 14th, 1961, *i*t « k $

I o*k you doth ** o* not you know i f  on ****** warrant mm iaouod by 
you for hi* mvxmtt

128» 26?



it

Nf
A. 1 * M i l

fer

A, Ibt mm that X 
Q. Mt. HWtNKtyt 
A. ¥aa» air. Tha Seliai 
thissg# v«er carefully and

• air. ia reference so

e», Hr. wtobarly.

tor Iu m  aii m  to follow 
that* a the

with Solicitor Wolf# after this parti-

a . X here always hope to clooa contact with solicitor Haifa.
Q. .Atta sa the 14th af 

hto to reference to tbie
a , t*a, I 014 oat. 1 414n*t aagr 
Q. Oh, pea 414a* tf 
a . to. air.
Q. All right, air. tow. aftar yaw wara a4viaad of hto being 

to ana tody, chat 414 you do than, air?

1 » - 268



&* ta li*  m ftatmdiat  nhlah m » Mm flaftlooftm f* r» an 

« * » •  * Am ay • fflM  balding a m , an* X m U M  Mm  (ta riff* *  
MMCm  * *b#y had .tefwnwl aa Mm* *■ ilig  «ta t ta ta i I f n if f  * 
i t a m it ,  ta i X aallad Mm  ffetaatf** M H m  — —

Q* X M m ** CMafc S f i n  «iani*iiiiif yea - n r r m  m .
4 . t  M U  Mm* X m m  ft* m  MHU* taajdftag Cans*, «ta  t  ta i 

taa* a irta a i Mm* m iMm  by Mm  M M rtff** nipa t t w m  m m  ba ta i 
iBMMi A AtAtAwan* 0* A AAttfAAAftta*

Q. ftat Ml* fACfttitata tai laanad A t a l M I t t  
4. ftat*# ML#*. tai X astai M m * Im  ta brought tatfmr* an, a* 

M m** X Might * U I  tai, a *rl#i* i*i toad M m  i a q p  to WU*. tai 
taputy Sheriff tarchjmt. ala** aftch Chftaf of % U e *  Mbbiaa* branch 
tai* Into ny court, In M m  yraaanc* of, X mmlA *ay, SO uitaaaaoa - 
it or a a  rrouiad Quart • and X rood M m  MuMgaa ta tita dafandmt. 
Loot* too***, and X aafead taa if ta  a m  rafvaaaatad by Gounaal. 
tai ta iUn*t atom ta imdarataed M m * X aaaat* and ttan X aakad tain 
did ta Hava a t w g m ,  and ta wadatatwd Chat, and told a* aa, that 
ta did oat. tad X anpiatnad ta tain M m  aortouaaa—  of M m  ctina 
ami told tain M m * taa ataauld ho raftnaaatad by Cauaasl, and that ha 
should consult * U h  taia family and iaanra ao attorney, and that.
If ta iaairai a pr*li«U*ry hearing, m  piaaaa notify aa in urltimg 
at least 10 day* before M m  aaat tec* of Amaral sessions court.

Q. You ora saying ta ttai* Court that you told caul# taorar"V
all of that an «h* IStb of 0***ob*rf 

A, itaat 1* eorvaat.
Q. .ai right, air, t a *  m o l d  you stata M m M m t  or not, at 

„ Itoat particular tin*, you had a eagy of M m  statementT 
A. I did not.
<?• waa a aoyy at «ta atatanant avor brought ta your offUoT 
a . ft mm net.
0. But you had M m  infatuation that a atatanant had tarn 

•ignod by taiMI
* A. That it had tarn elgaod, that** corract.

Q. Old you have, at that particular tina, th* natwra at M m  
iof«cm*eton eontaitMd In M m  atatanant then you core axpiaining Mia 
aariousnasn of tha charg* *0 taarart

• u o * 269



A. 1 414b*t i t . % m m * *

Q* A ll d i l l ,  a ir . 

A. X road M m  
Q* In its mt&xmft 
a* y««t l i t .
9. hs didn’t

portion of it. 
to foot office, olio

A• 1 seated that ha did
X didB*t atats that ha didn’t 

Q. All r i g h t ,  a i r .  n h a n  

aaaoupaalsd hlat?
A. ^ i a f  o f  % l i a a  R o h h tn a  a n d  D e p u ty  S h e r i f f  

q .  A n d  y fe a t d id  C M * f  o f  h s l le e  to b f e in s  s a y  t o  ye w  id * e e  h a  

e a rn s i n t o  y a u r  o f f t e a ?

A .  h a  d id n ’ t  s a y  a n y t h in g ,  axes?* that **va h a v e  t h e  d e f e n ­

dant**.
Q. ha said that ha had tha 
a . la aald that ha had tasii 
(}. »a aald that ha had tha daf , Louts
A + '« earrsst.
f?. All right, sir. What did Deputy sheriff Merchant say ta

you?
A. t dten’t think ha aald it

9. All right, air. law, mould you state Whether or no*
50 witnesses that you talk shout sure uitoaaaas in tha ease 

a£ Mss state vs. touts Maararf
A. fhaaa wltnaaaaa ware present haaaoaa X uaa holding Court 

and vo* txytm traffic violations and ether offenses, such as 
assaults.and others, and they vara pretest as witnesses in ay Court, 

as wt<

Q. Would you kindly state for tha benefit of this Court 
In bringing Louie hearer to your Court, sir?

270



. _ ■ a . %  road ghargaa to M » mat anpiais M U  rights a# Mm.

*• rood tho ofcargao « M  anpisin M «  rights to ttfaV
A. Tw,
Q* At that y n M M U r  t U i  M i  nsorar Mil p >  «*>Tl*rff sr 

•Ot M  mm guilty or not guilty, aitt 
a * «* M 4  wot §Asoi rtttw way.
0. ®i< you oolt hi* whsthsr or not ha mm guilty! 
a . X did not ash MLh  m yioMft.
«• &id ho * sy  toy thing M  you!
A. Th* only thing Ho said on* ho answered afftrwartwaly Mum 

X sake-* M>* didn’t ho wont to disease it with M o  fondly and on
attorney - ho eald "Yea".

Q. sow, noold yaw ototo whether or not Mrs, Catharine 
M m atm me In that group of 50 wttnassant 

A. 5ho mu not present at m m  tine.
C. Would you aeota whether or not hor husband mm present 

at that Moot
A* Pm not not present at that tino.

M w i d  yen atato whether or not Solicitor uolfo maa pro* 
•oat at that particular Moat

A. to the bast of ay knowledge* ho aoo net prosont. how 
X can’t m w  everybody that waa present.

n. would yoo atato whatfckar or aot thoriff Knight was peasant! 
h. t can’t raw* avoryona that was praaaat, hut that would ha 

a lac «a nan*.
<1. would you atato Whether or not thora war# any officials 

of Mrcheater County praaaat at that particular tire, sir?
A. the only oeos that X can dnfinttaly atata that war# pra- 

aant at that tint and that had business before ny Court vara Paputy 
Shortff ^archant and Chiaf of halloa Jade «?. KoHMaa.

n'» r'ac tha Jailor praaant at this per Mauler tine, namely, 
str. !-'ilaoo vinberlyf

A. T couldn’t soy that ha wsa, and X wouldn’t any that ha

271



I N  fttata «•. U n d a  Haaaar wara p it  at tfwt ttaai
A. l «  wna aM ay Nwl— i  ta  IN I—  1* that al aaaly , md X

tm  aay,
fij» Mr* kaitara, X * N w  yaw c N U  flan— at, and aafc yaa What

U  iaf
A* w U  aa a r m  w m n ,
ft. i #ak *HM if afeLs aiiiMdMn (InUtatlBcHi — H f
A* Yhat ia ay aignatare*
<i* la tfcfta tisa warrant Abac yaa laaaafl far tha arraat af

Louis la— a. slat
A* is ta*
Q. It la, atrt 
A. Yaa, alar*
HtU asm* Xf I N  N a t  yiaaaaa, fla yaHeiaanr weald ltia ta 

ijwtoadwea thie la awldeoee at t N *  tlaa, aaaa far the writing aa 
tftia fcaak ateSafe aa think ia ehjeatlanable. (Banda daawnaat aa tha 
Cawrt.)

W t  tiOUHYt Mara yaa aaaa Nila, Mr. tvaadant
ha. mjmmmt «•» air, x havan’t.
m s  dCWAYi A U  right, air. laok at It. (Haada deauaant ta 

Mr. Brandon.)
m .  KGMurit tf year Hooor yiaaaaa — —
« .  uuosi if year Uaaar yiaaaaa, wa trill withdraw that ahjac- 

«law. aad let It go In in lea antiraty. 
t m  c o m m  t m  affar it aa it la?
Ml. uocwti Yaa, air.
h a . w i t  Nee, If year hooor yiaaaaa, X weald like ta kaay 

ay original if yaaait-la. X hawa a eayy af that, and X would ilka 
ta aahatt It m couaaal aa l aaa yat it in tha racaafl and withdraw 
eh# original.

YhS umiktt sail, flrat, 1 want ta know Iran tha state If 
thara la any objection ea lea introduotiao ia evidence, and if thara 
ia an objection, than aiaaw teuneel far tha yatitlanar tha ytoyeeed 
eopy, and if it ia aatiafaetory to thaw, it will he yat in evidence.

ID - 272



Wt̂ JflWAIKXWH (After - w m n  M ff o f JTr..n  •• C W M I

§** too yfltlttonar) wa Iu m m  ao ohjattfno. yaor Wmm».
TH& a s m  All right, H > .  t t m  U  w  obiootftoo by toa «u m  

*nd it till to roflotowd to atodanaa.
**• m m t i t  too Q mrt ftoooto, ooofotoly •» M o o  m  pootl 

W i o o  tojoottoo. O f  opt t o  too foot toot «o m o l d  11M  « m i n i  

toot, t* toto aoor to flffotol* toot it was #i*nad «o too Mali by too 
MOtotrwt* Moorrlf.

Wf MOTT* Loto «oa it. 1h«t*s too toot m m , too** it*
*». ». tottaro, Jr., Myiotooto^T 

MR* Too, oto.
M s  m m r%  wall, lot too w o o l  toow toot oo too ortftnsi 

tooro to o Motooittoo ototomant aifaod **H. «. nottor*. Jr., togi- 
ottMfl**, o M  OB too copy too hondwrtfton •tm tm m n t boa toa» gypotf 
owt, ami oo t understand it. tooro is ao <pa»tton but toot it is oo 
m m am tm oooy o f eh# original otroflt oorram and atatowant m d 
aigaaturaa?

MR. coot* toot*# oflovoot, your Sonar.
tot court* .Mr* Mportaw, onto M t o  of toooo doouoaato ao

booing M o b iatrttownd is ovi4on«o» and allow too Solicitor to with*
draw too oxitihol. to too awigindt in your pooaooaian, nr. wolf of

HR* «H-TR* Too, sir. ft M o  M a n  to ay tooooooioo arnr alne#
too Mofloeroto sane it t» no.

ftoiginat **d copy of (hmmaot ontitlod* "ggoto of South 
corolla*, County of Oorchnntor, too 8toto oo. tool# Maoror. 
Aevoot warrant. Offonoati Ortotoai Aooowit, etc. ft. a. 
toltara, togiataratn. S»to* Dooaabor 14, 1961. Offloors*
*oto Rabbin* and Cooil wootooot", and Mortis* on it* 
rooaron ®ido too following* **»t. Merga, *. C., toaaator 
15, 1061. too ooid fort* Motor woo toooght to or off too 
f  oiiLemtm m  Mcawtor 13, 1961, following too tootomeo 

of warrant too toy tofnarn, toe wao tootgod toto criminal 
saasuic oto hi# orroot fellawod, and tho chorga* war#

V  astfslataod ao wall m M o  righto, o**d eharnupm I M o o d  hi* 
ores to* trial at too a n t  ton# of toa Cnaoral »«#aion#
Court for btnrtoofltor County. to# dafandaat told m. if ha 
daaiurto a pralitonory ht#«sio& ha would adriaa mm afcor 
tolktnp toto M a  Mina and nttomny, **. M. woltar#, Jr., 
nsgtattaso**, soaoiroa is avidoooo and M t o  original and 
copy ««fhad tooraupoa toa original
mw «titodrowu>. a.w.c. Jr.}

hit. OAAU daw, hagtotrota waiter#, altar you had had toi# 
dt»«u*«Laa, 1 prasuma you would call it, toto toa dafendoae, toernr, 
you houud him owtr to Canaral i:;#*«ioo# Qourtt

*134» 273



ms nimnssi 
a. mm, mm
i in Borthaot

N N

Q. rim

it. **»14 ISM M tt« OwtiMt CM IMS* M • »0®ta* (rf ~OS*t MMf 
a* a wotto* of imweSers foUow4* ym , attcnr tooaiat a pedUMKMvy 
tOMWfag* woilli bind aaatt of four dafandanta owa* to Menorca
SiMtcm Oaort?

A. Zf 1 tom  • RrailMlaary, toot Z dids't Kaon a oral i»itt ary 
oitb M w .  Hoaywar, it laa*« naaaaaary at a prollwLaary, and i f  
tfcay 0oo*t pit of anodgh avidaoea, l 4ea*t toiari than avat.

q. toot la this omrtloular mu, p m  had aaaogh awidaaaa 
Mootat oaar to (aactaml Saoaiao* qacertt la  that contact f
A* Xtoat’a correct.
q. m  farther quectloa*.

Hr. haltars, yoo atetad that Hoorer under*rood the wtrd
"Ladyar’' tfccm to# didn’t wsuSaratsnti the word "Ceimaoi*4? X* that 
tight?

*« That*a correct.
<•*. Pa ondatratcad dtoaa jm o lnfomed |dn that ha should, or 

maid and ehould hare a laayor?
*. fa®, air.
<>„ Hr. * altera, was that* ever a pediatoary hearing held 

in the oaaa of the State w ,  L w U  poorer?
A. I mb # « «  requested to >«1« oca.
q. ■ Palttoer Msorcr or hi* mtommy  avar reyp«*te«l « p*ali« 

winery Hearing?
A. Ms.
<> Therefor®, the wsocadura that taaah pfiLaca before you on 

JMeentoar ISUto, wea not a preliminary hearing?
HR. <008*.* Mow, ; 
m i it *t & 

135* 27^



tm aomtt om mUwm . udm u  i*f
« U  C O O M  f o u r  I M S ,  K a b l e s t  t o  that p a r t i c u l a r  y w tfia  

« »  * * U l » §  f a r  a  a o a a lu a L m . Wa a a *  b a r s  t o d a y  a »  a r g u e  W h e th e r  

«m m * a p r a i i w U a v y  h e a r in g  was, l a  faeft, had, dad X daa*t M *

In a w  «U«it fwm this wttaee*, on crwe^ewaaiartiLaa or ary m o -  
a t o a t t o a ,  \*m& a e t w a l l y  t r a i t  p la c e .  H i  m b  e a iy  t « U  w h a t h a p p e n e d .

Tiue OPIJRT* thta la the Mogiatreta who would Iu m  hold the 
praUadnavy hearing had m e  haatt hold. X «Mak ft«*a a aarfaatiy

W% v x m s s i  will you repeat the (pHt t m ,  air? 
m e . f c f  mmm U  l a m .  X think this la What Z aakad foot 

Xhle faroaadura of Ceosafcer i5Hi, wee rat a pralladnary hearing, aa 
yaw tnaderatmd the law!

W *  v i m s t  It was not a preUadnaxy hearing. 
h« And none wee ever reqpaated?
A* And iwkmi watt ever repeated or had.
<4. ^5 f u r t h e r  t p a a t ia a a .

*5# »ao, «-**.i«erate haltera# thla m b  a vary aarlawa oilease,
l« that not correct?

A. that** correct.
v. And this hearing, or whatever yam had, m  behalf of 

hoorer, waa wary important! la that oorvade?
A. I did not haw* a bearing.
I. tall, thla otMimwmo than that yaw had, air, was vary 

lapartant so the defendant, wa#«*t It?
A. I figured it wna. 1 swtfd to explain his rights to ttia 

and tall >«*.••• «h<tt h* wa* dbarged with.
W* And it woe a vary Iwpertmt wetter m far as yen ware 

eseawm^d o r * shelf of the defendant? la that correct?
A. that*a correct.

-U 4 - 275



Q. A ll t ig h t , a ir .

«h* **w porpoee ot « M o  Nattai eo* to toll hi* that ha 
•hauid h » a  a lawfort

a * m a t  ia eowrae*. It wasn't • baortnp. Ha w  Jh m  

hreoghi b«f«r« aw. I wanted to read m e  shatgse to M m  due to the 
eoriousnesa of ftw, end t « U  hi* that he ehould he repreeeated bjr 
Ceotwel, and explain hie right* to hi*.

Q. » W  t m  appaint daunaal t o o  M m  at that pertloolor ttUwf
A* £ here no ***«te eethevtty to do that.
q. old you dtaeuaa with Joliet tor Haifa the appointment of 

Coonaal £m hiwt
a . i m  oo«.
q* Bid SolAettor holie notify year office thet Counsel hod 

hero appointed for hied
- a. %& the beet of ay kaoaiedie, ot that tine he didn't, hot 
later m  1 knee that counsel had keen onployad.

q. I aoao at thi» particular tine.
A, sot then.
Q. hare you advised by any of the Circuit Judges in oor 

Jadieiat *yetew that Counsel had keen appelated for hln?
A. hat*
m ,  a m .I A lt right, air. Tha witness i» with you.

immmm 
sm m m .
<U I  believe you have t aerified that no 

did you not?
hm tJieant the feet that om at the officers said that ha had 

a atatewwae fro* hi*.
t o  te«v that, but it *t before yout

■137 2?6



a * wm i
Q. tone* Im ftMMft gftwao *  w titw m , b i t l t n a i  not hafooa

f W f
a. Shit** wW*.
O. Am* mu Kmd BlMi lmttreaaK b**Om MHt
A* Shat** M n w .
q. oad you know the dhoasaaf
a . Shat* a ********
<Q* And f*« did not ask So* a* raoaio* any Cow* of y&at foot* 

Hi* defend***, Hoorort 
A* I did not*
0* And a* ym  hoa* tootlfiod, ym  *te*if otatod to his hi* 

rifjhta ** yon ondemtood thon?
A. thee** «o***ot.
Q. And adeiaed feta dutt ha m o l d  and should hoe* an attorney? 
A, Shat** ooc*«*t*
Q. And that ha ootid oak for • praMa&aary hoaria*, if h* *o 

d**ir*d, or If id* attorney *o doairod?
A, Shat** eorraet.
C|» Shank you, air.

j ^ m M S S , a « M a 8iS»
s a m m j i M u s w
Q. On* short question, dr t  aid this atato— nt #*y whether 

a* not h* tod don* dhat h* wm charged etth, this atataonat of eh* 
officer?

a, X didn’t r*od th* at*tow*nt»
Q. X uadoratand that, hot that too it that the officer told

you?
A. tta ««i«i ho had a aanfaaalon,
Q, that he had a aanfaaaloof 
a , Xm , air. 
q. All right# air.
MU. Sfuytuk* da further qoaatloo*.

•US- 27?



TH* COURT! All riche* Hr. Standee. 
m . BBAMDOHi m  muW like to after 
W  COURT* All srlght, Oiv.

Honor.

Ml. JULIAN S. HOLTS* 0 « i W M  called M  bdkdlf Of the 
raa pendents, being first A d y  scorn* testifies!

aiMS5r„j^£aiMaei>»

<*• «WM ora Julian S. Wolfs?
A. Too* air.
«i. what is your off idol position* Hr. Wolfs?
A. I m  Circuit oli d  ter of ths H w t  Judicial Circuit of 

South Carolina.
Q» What Gauntl—  doaa that Circuit include?

- A* Oroas«d»urfi.* Calhoun and oowrehontor.
<3* Hr. wolfs, in four official capacity did you prosecute 

the case of the state so. Louie Maottor?
A. 1 did.
L. At What taro of Court and In What County wns that case

triad?
A. Hurt «m  In April, 1962* is Dorchester enmity* at it. 

CSoor&a* S. C. That*a the Csunty scat.
On Tor Shot erino woo Louie Msorar triad?
A, the iadietnaet charged rape* assault with intent to 

ravish and assault and battery of a high «ad aggravated nature.
L. waa ha ccuvtstsd?
A. Ha use convicted of rape.

139 278



9

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