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Title
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Federal Authorities Move To Prosecute Ala. Deputy
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Source Type
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Newspapers
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Publisher
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The Chicago Defender
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Publication Place
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Chicago, IL
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Publication Date
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02/04/1967
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Transcript
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. -, (NPI) - A white former deputy, sheriff faced one year's im-, prisonment and a $1,000 fine, on federal charges of having, beaten a Negro who was later, taken dead from his jail cell, last November in nearby We-, tumpka., Former deputy Harvey Con-, ner was accused by the U. S., Department of Justice of will-, fully assaulting, striking, beat-, ing, and injuring James Earl, Motley, who died in jail Nov., 20., The federal government mov-, ed into action only hours after, an all-white Elmore County, grand jury, mindful of the, Klan domination of this part, of the country, declined to re-, turn an indictment in the case., Earlier, the county coroner ru-, led that Motley's death was due, to "accidental causes.", According to witnesses, Mot-, ley, 27, was clubbed by the, deputy after balking at being, Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. arrested on a drunkeness, charge., The victim's arms were held, by two state troopers during, the clubbing, it was said. Mot-, ley died shortly afterward., Conner faced charges based, on a federal "color of law", statute making it a misdemea-, nor to deprive a citizen of rights, guaranteed him by the federal, Constitution. The statute was, passed during Reconstruction, days., One of the federal rights, covered by the law is the right, not to be punished without a, trial, a Justice Department, spokesman said.
