New trial sought for South Carolina teen executed for 1944 murders By: Cindy Williams

Situation In 1944, George Stinney Jr. was put to death for the murders of two white girls.

He was the youngest person to be executed in the U. S He was the youngest person to be executed in the U.S. in the last century. Stinney’s supporters said racism meant that deputies in Clarendon county did little investigation after they decided that he was the prime suspect. The defense filed its motion in October based on newly discovered evidence. Since then, new witnesses who could help exonerate Stinney have come forward, including a former cell mate who said the teen told him that the police forced his confession. Lawyers said they had determined Stinney was convicted solely on testimony by police who said the teen confessed to killing Betty June Binnicker, 11, and Mary Emma Thames, 7. After Stinney told someone he had seen the girls along the railroad tracks, he was picked up by police and held for five days before being arrested, said Matthew Burgess, one of the attorneys seeking a new trial.

Topics Covered Death penalty Inadequate evidence of law enforcement Racism

Prompt In light of the case regarding the black 14-year old boy that was executed for the alleged murder of two white girls in 1944, write a well-developed essay in which you defend, qualify or refute whether or not it should be legal for minors to be executed.

MLA Citation McLaughlin, Eliott. “New trial sought for George Stinney, executed at 14.” CNN. 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 Feb. 2014.