James Ford Seale will again take his case before the United States Supreme Court. You will recall that Seale was convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy in regard to the deaths of two black youths in southwest Mississippi in 1964. After a complicated appeals process, he asked the Court last fall to review a court of appeals decision holding that the prosecution was not barred by the statute of limitations. The Court refused to hear the case at the time.
The case proceeded through the regular appeals process and has once again reached the Supreme Court. Seale filed a writ of certorairi seeking a hearing on the statute of limitations issue as well as the constitutionality of Seale’s confession when he was arrested in 1964. The government responded on August 9.
The case is important because it could affect the prosecution of other civil rights murders from the 60s. The handicappers put it at 50-50 that the Court will hear it. the decision should come in early October.
Comments