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| Susan akin granddaughter of bernard akin conspirator Mississippi Burning |
A number of Negroes were among the more than 200 prospective jurors summoned, and at least 17 were included in the panel from which the 12 were selected. But defense attorneys rejected all the negroes with peremptory challenges.
The defense questioned each of the Negroes about membership in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. It sought to get one member of the group discharged for cause, but Judge Cox overruled the move.
The judge had asked prospective jurors of both races whether any had engaged in civil rights activities and ordered a young negro woman to step aside when she said she had participated in one march and belonged to the N.A.A.C.P.
A white man, under questioning by Robert Hauberg, United States Attorney for southern Mississippi, said he had belonged to the White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan "a couple of years ago." He was asked whether this would influence his hearing of the case.
"No sir, it sure would not," he replied. Although the man did not become a member of the jury, he was not discharged for cause. The F.B.I. has accused the White Knights group of planning the slayings
John Doar, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights began presenting a series of background witnesses this afternoon. One of them was the Rev. Charles Johnson of Meridian, who worked with Mr. Schwerner in 1964.
Laurel Weir of Philadelphia, one of the defense lawyers, began his cross-examination of the minister by inquiring whether the murdered youth had spoken against the war in Vietnam or had burned his draft card. Mr.Johnson replied that Mr. Schwerner had not.
A series of similar questions followed, and finally Mr. Weir asked whether the rights worker had ever sought to "get young male Negroes to sign a pledge to rape a white woman once a week during the hot summer of 1964."
Judge Cox broke in and warned the attorney that he considered such a question "highly improper" unless the defense could show a reason for posing it. Mr. Weir said it had been passed to him in writing.
"Who is the author of that question?" the judge demanded sharply. At first none of the attorneys replied. Finally one of them said it had been passed up by one of the 18 men on trial.
"I am not going to allow a farce to be made of this trial," the judge declared. "I don't understand such a question as that and I don't approve. If there's no basis to it I'm going to have something to say about it when we get through.". . . .
After the the trial jurors were named today, Judge Cox said they would be permitted to return home at night provided they did not discuss the case.
The jurors are: Mrs. S.M. Green 67, of Hattiesburg, a housewife; Mrs. Lessie Lowery, 52, of Hiwannee, a grocery store owner; Howard O. Winborn, 56, of Petal, a pipe fitter; Harmon W. Rasberry, 52, of Stonewall, a textile worker; Mr. Gussie
B. Staton, 64, of Union, a housewife; Jessie P. Hollingsworth, 48, of Moss Point, an electrician.
Also Langdon Smith Anderson, 52, of Lumberton, an oil exploration operator and member of the State Agricultural and Industrial Board; Mrs.James C. Heflin, 48, of Lake, a production worker; Mrs. Nell B. Dedeaux, 42, of Lumberton, a housewife; Willie V. Arneson, 58, of Meridian, a secretary;Edsell Z. Parks, 34, of Brandon, a clerk, and Adelaide H. Comer, 43, of Ocean Springs, a cook at a school cafeteria.
