DNA Explainer: US pardons 7 black men put to death for a white woman’s rape 70 years ago - Here’s why

A white woman by the name of Ruby Stroud Floyd filed a complaint that she had been raped by 13 black men on January 8, 1949, while passing through a predominantly black neighbourhood in Martinsville. The police interrogation and arrested the 7 men after getting them to confess to the crimes. These were DeSales Grayson (aged 37), Booker T. Millner (19), Frank Hairston Jr. (18), Howard Lee Hairston (18) Joe Henry Hampton (19), James Luther Hairston (20) and John Claybon Taylor (21).

Pic courtesy: WAS/ Flickr

The woman was able to identify only two of the arrested men as the perpetrators but had trouble confirming others, as per an online Black history reference platform. Moreover, the 7 men had no lawyers representing men when the police interrogated and made them sign confessions. Some reportedly did not even read their confessions before signing them. All the 7 men were charged with rape, convicted by an all-white jury and hurriedly executed.

Pic courtesy: Dan H/ Flickr

The controversy around the “Martinsville Seven” rape case erupted right after the arrests were made by the police. Protests were carried out in front of the White House in Washington where then US President Harry S Truman was urged to put a stay on the execution but to no avail. Around 20 years after the unjust death penalties, the US Supreme Court abolished capital punishment for rape calling it a “cruel and unusual” punishment.

70 years after their deaths, Gov Northam granted pardons to all 7 men after a meeting with their descendant family members. Saying that it was about “righting wrongs”, Northam added that the pardons were a recognition from the state that the trial was unjust and without fair and due process.

Pic courtesy: Henry Burroughs/ AP