IT'S A CONVICTION; IT'S NOW HISTORY

My folks back home in Neshoba County, Mississippi had me concerned for awhile. Yesterday, after the trial of Edgar Ray Killen went to the jury, they returned to inform the judge that they were deadlocked 6-6. For awhile, I thought Killen would walk out of the courthouse free again, but Hizzoner Circuit Judge Marcus Gordon told the panel to continue their deliberations, and today the reputed Klansman/parttime Baptist preacher/accused leader of the KKK group which murdered three civil rights workers near Philadelphia during the "Freedom Summer" of 1964 was convicted...of manslaughter, instead of the murder charge he was originally brought forth for.

The conviction came 41 years to the day that James Cheney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman were shot at close range and eventually buried in an earthen dam.

It wasn't the murder conviction that many were probably looking for, but a conviction, regardless. He will be sentenced Thursday morning to between one and ten years on each of the three counts. That means what amounts to a life sentence for the 80-year-old Killen at the Mississippi State Penitentary at Parchman, where in all likelihood he would have to be kept in protective custody away from the other inmates --- the majority of whom are African-American --- for his own safety.

The only thing I can hang my head over is that there are still people who are misinformed over the Klan. Former Philadelphia mayor Harlan Majure, who testified as a character witness for Killen, said during his time on the stand that the KKK did some good things and that, as far as he knew, the Klan was "a peaceful organization".

Justice still prevails, although in this case it came 41 years too late.