WSB-TV (Television station : Atlanta, Ga.)

Description

Series of WSB-TV newsfilm clips of interviews with the attorneys for murder suspects in the Lemuel Penn case, Danielsville, Georgia, 1964 August 26. An unidentified reporter (first name is "Russ") conducts separate interviews in a room in the country courthouse in Danielsville. In the first clip, John Darsey, representing Cecil William Myers, says he will place a "not guilty" plea. Given that he was only appointed by Judge Carey Skelton as counsel that morning, the question of requesting a continuance was still open, especially since the case appears on the docket for the following Monday. The question of the three suspects being tried together had not yet been determined, but the attorneys had requested that the three should be interviewed by their attorneys as a group. In the second clip, Mr. Darsey responds to the question of the effect of the national media coverage on the case. He also comments on jury selection. In the third clip, John W. Williford is interviewed regarding the confession of his client James S. Lackey. Mr. Williford was appointed by Judge Skelton as counsel the Friday before this interview. He comments on the responsibilities of attorneys when they are appointed to cases and about when representation should begin. He notes that the Madison County Solicitor General, Clete D. Johnson, had objected to the joint interviews of the suspects with their attorneys but the decision was still pending at the time of this interview. He also comments on the detailed reports written by the Federal...

Record Contributed By

Walter J. Brown Media Archives and Peabody Awards Collection

Record Harvested From

Digital Library of Georgia