Groveland Four
Encyclopedia
The term Groveland Four was coined by newspapers for the American cause celebre
in which four African-American men were accused of raping a Caucasian woman named Norma Padgett in Groveland, Florida
, in 1949. The four men were Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Sam Shepherd and Walter Irvin.
Ernest Thomas fled the night of the incident. He was tracked down by a posse days later, 200 miles away. He was shot and killed by that posse. Officers reported that Thomas was armed and reached for his weapon.
NAACP attorney Franklin Williams
reported that all three surviving suspects stated, independently of the others, that confessions were beaten out of them at the hands of deputies. He also reported obvious signs of severe beatings. FBI informant reports, and the intake records at the state prison (where they were held awaiting trail) confirmed these reports. This never came out at trial, because the prosecution did not bring the confessions into evidence, instead relying on testimonies. There is a lot of uncertainty regarding whether a rape actually took place at all. Two of the defendants, Shepherd and Irvin, claimed they were in Eatonville, Florida
, drinking that night. Greenlee and Thomas were apparently nowhere near the other defendants on that night and had never met the other defendants. The physician who examined Norma was not called to the witness stand. Sheriff Willis V. McCall
's deputies were accused of manufacturing evidence in this case to win a conviction.
Charles Greenlee, who was 16 at the time, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He did not appeal and was released on parole
in 1962, even though he was arrested 20 miles from where the rape was said to happen. He moved to Tennessee
, becoming a successful businessman and family man.
Sam Shepherd and Walter Irvin were found guilty and given the death penalty. It has been reported than one or both of them was dishonorably discharged from the army after serving in World War II. The U.S. Supreme Court, upon hearing evidence of numerous "problems" with the defendants' first trial, ordered that they be given a new trial. Irving and Shepherd were shot while being transported from Raiford to Lake County for retrial by Sheriff Willis V. McCall
.
By all accounts Shepherd and Irving were shot while exiting McCall's vehicle ostensibly to help McCall "fix a flat tire". The shooting took place on a dark country road just outside of Umatilla, Florida. Both prisoners were shot three times. Irving survived and Shepherd died, most likely from a gunshot wound to the head. In what to some seemed to be a scripted scenario, a group of men from Umatilla were prompted by Deputy Yates to report to the scene of the shooting. Those called included Dr. Douglas, a young physician, a prominent and a very influential businessman and politician whose home was a mere shouting distance away, the mayor of Umatilla and a local service station owner (to fix the flat tire). All of those called to the scene rallied around the sheriff and later offered testimony for subsequent investigations in defense of the sheriff.
Allegations abound over the lack of medical care given to Irvin at the scene and the time it took to transport him to a local hospital in Eustis, Florida
, around 10 miles away. While recovering in the hospital from the shooting, Irvin emphatically stated that McCall had no cause to shoot him or Shepherd, accusing the Sheriff of murder and attempted murder. McCall was hospitalized for minor injuries and possible problems with his heart caused by the stress of dealing with the shooting of the two prisoners.
A coroner's inquiry (some claim stacked with cronies of McCall) cleared McCall of any wrongdoing, stating McCall had acted in self defense and had no choice but to shoot both prisoners.
Irving was retried in Marion County. Thurgood Marshall
led the defense team and Irvin was again found guilty and sentenced to death. Later in that same year newly-elected Governor LeRoy Collins
commuted Irvin's sentence to life in prison. Irvin was paroled in 1968. He died from heart complications while visiting Lake County in 1970.
Cause célèbre
A is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and heated public debate. The term is particularly used in connection with celebrated legal cases. It is a French phrase in common English use...
in which four African-American men were accused of raping a Caucasian woman named Norma Padgett in Groveland, Florida
Groveland, Florida
Groveland is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,360 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 7,647...
, in 1949. The four men were Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Sam Shepherd and Walter Irvin.
Ernest Thomas fled the night of the incident. He was tracked down by a posse days later, 200 miles away. He was shot and killed by that posse. Officers reported that Thomas was armed and reached for his weapon.
NAACP attorney Franklin Williams
Franklin Williams (diplomat)
Franklin H. Williams was a lawyer and civil rights leader in the United States. As an assistant to Thurgood Marshall he represented the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People before courts in criminal cases throughout the South...
reported that all three surviving suspects stated, independently of the others, that confessions were beaten out of them at the hands of deputies. He also reported obvious signs of severe beatings. FBI informant reports, and the intake records at the state prison (where they were held awaiting trail) confirmed these reports. This never came out at trial, because the prosecution did not bring the confessions into evidence, instead relying on testimonies. There is a lot of uncertainty regarding whether a rape actually took place at all. Two of the defendants, Shepherd and Irvin, claimed they were in Eatonville, Florida
Eatonville, Florida
Eatonville is a town in Orange County, Florida, six miles north of Orlando. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee metropolitan statistical area. The population was 2,432 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S...
, drinking that night. Greenlee and Thomas were apparently nowhere near the other defendants on that night and had never met the other defendants. The physician who examined Norma was not called to the witness stand. Sheriff Willis V. McCall
Willis V. McCall
Willis Virgil McCall was sheriff of Lake County, Florida, serving seven consecutive terms from 1944 until he lost his bid for an eight term in 1972. Known for his no nonsense attitude for enforcing the law, several incidents during his career made national headlines...
's deputies were accused of manufacturing evidence in this case to win a conviction.
Charles Greenlee, who was 16 at the time, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He did not appeal and was released on parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
in 1962, even though he was arrested 20 miles from where the rape was said to happen. He moved to Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, becoming a successful businessman and family man.
Sam Shepherd and Walter Irvin were found guilty and given the death penalty. It has been reported than one or both of them was dishonorably discharged from the army after serving in World War II. The U.S. Supreme Court, upon hearing evidence of numerous "problems" with the defendants' first trial, ordered that they be given a new trial. Irving and Shepherd were shot while being transported from Raiford to Lake County for retrial by Sheriff Willis V. McCall
Willis V. McCall
Willis Virgil McCall was sheriff of Lake County, Florida, serving seven consecutive terms from 1944 until he lost his bid for an eight term in 1972. Known for his no nonsense attitude for enforcing the law, several incidents during his career made national headlines...
.
By all accounts Shepherd and Irving were shot while exiting McCall's vehicle ostensibly to help McCall "fix a flat tire". The shooting took place on a dark country road just outside of Umatilla, Florida. Both prisoners were shot three times. Irving survived and Shepherd died, most likely from a gunshot wound to the head. In what to some seemed to be a scripted scenario, a group of men from Umatilla were prompted by Deputy Yates to report to the scene of the shooting. Those called included Dr. Douglas, a young physician, a prominent and a very influential businessman and politician whose home was a mere shouting distance away, the mayor of Umatilla and a local service station owner (to fix the flat tire). All of those called to the scene rallied around the sheriff and later offered testimony for subsequent investigations in defense of the sheriff.
Allegations abound over the lack of medical care given to Irvin at the scene and the time it took to transport him to a local hospital in Eustis, Florida
Eustis, Florida
Eustis is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,106 at the 2000 census. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 19,129. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, around 10 miles away. While recovering in the hospital from the shooting, Irvin emphatically stated that McCall had no cause to shoot him or Shepherd, accusing the Sheriff of murder and attempted murder. McCall was hospitalized for minor injuries and possible problems with his heart caused by the stress of dealing with the shooting of the two prisoners.
A coroner's inquiry (some claim stacked with cronies of McCall) cleared McCall of any wrongdoing, stating McCall had acted in self defense and had no choice but to shoot both prisoners.
Irving was retried in Marion County. Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall
Thurgood Marshall was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, serving from October 1967 until October 1991...
led the defense team and Irvin was again found guilty and sentenced to death. Later in that same year newly-elected Governor LeRoy Collins
LeRoy Collins
Thomas LeRoy Collins was the 33rd Governor of Florida.-Early life:Collins was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, where he attended Leon High School. He went on to attend the Eastman Business College in New York and then went on to the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama to...
commuted Irvin's sentence to life in prison. Irvin was paroled in 1968. He died from heart complications while visiting Lake County in 1970.