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H-SHEAR Here are a few more links to the Griffin Bros. case, including two from Europe. Itis interesting to see that people outside the US think this matters. http://www.independent.ie/world-news/brothers-sent-to-electric-chair-are-cleared-of-killing-1917598.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/6366628/South-Carolina-pardons-black-brothers-convicted-of-1913-killing.html http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33310170/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/ http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/15/south.carolina.pardon/ ************************************************* Paul Finkelman, Ph.D. President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law Albany Law School 80 New Scotland Avenue Albany, NY 12208 518-445-3386 (p) 518-445-3363 (f) paul.finkelman@albanylaw.edu www.paulfinkelman.com ************************************************* ________________________________________ From: H-Net and ASLH Legal History Discussion list [H-LAW@H-NET.MSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Ken Aldous [aldous@MAIL.H-NET.MSU.EDU] Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 9:48 AM To: H-LAW@H-NET.MSU.EDU Subject: Finkelman and the Griffin case: interesting exchange from H-SHEAR From: "R. B. Bernstein" <rbbernstein@gmail.com> Date: Mon, October 19, 2009 12:32 pm Subject: Finkelman and the Griffin case: interesting exchange from H-SHEAR Below my signature line are two emails recently posted to H-SHEAR about an important example of the sound use of legal and constitutional history at law. -- R. B. Bernstein * Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law, New York Law School * Member of Editorial Board, H-LAW * Director of Online Operations, Heights Books, Inc. 120 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 * Author, THOMAS JEFFERSON (Oxford, 2003; paperback, 2005) and THE FOUNDING FATHERS RECONSIDERED (Oxford, spring 2009) * rbbernstein@gmail.com, rbernstein@nyls.edu ======== post #1 Dear H-SHEAR readers: According to CNN http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/10/15/south.carolina.pardon/ Paul Finkelman, a frequent contributor here at H-SHEAR as well as H-LAW and other H-Net networks, provided the critical legal research that resulted in the exoneration and pardon of Thomas Griffin and Meeks Griffin, who "were wrongfully executed in South Carolina. On Wednesday, a board voted 7-0 to pardon both men, clearing their names in the 1913 killing of a veteran of the Confederate Army. It marks the first time in history that South Carolina has issued a posthumous pardon in a capital murder case." The Griffins were the great-great uncles of nationally syndicated radio host Tom Joyner. I'm sure everyone joins us in celebrating Paul's tremendous contribution to righting a historic injustice. Maybe we can even get Paul to scribble a line or two for us about how he went about confirming the men's innocence, including what seems to have been a jailhouse confession. Regards Peter Peter Knupfer H-SHEAR Editor Associate Professor History Department Michigan State University ======== post #2 From: Finkelman, Paul <paul.finkelman@albanylaw.edu> <Paul.Finkelman@albanylaw.edu> Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:41:58 -0400 Subject: RE: Finkelman and the Griffin case Thanks so much for the kind words; just one tiny correction, which is really important for this list. The research I did and the analysis I offered was historical, not legal. I looked at the documents in the state archives about the case the way historians do. Fortunately, the history lesson was persuasive. This is a great example of how we historians really can have an impact on our society. The coverage has amazed me, incuding NBC nightly news and a British newspaper. If anyone asks "what do you historians do that matters," we can point to this case. I would be happy to write a bit about the case if there is an appropriate venue. We might expand it on the H-Networks or maybe a JAH symposium on historians using our craft to right wrongs. In this I of course stand the shadow of Peter Irons and his incredible work on the Japanese-Internment Cases. Again, thanks for mentioning this. ************************************************* Paul Finkelman, Ph.D. President William McKinley Distinguished Professor of Law Albany Law School 80 New Scotland Avenue Albany, NY 12208 518-445-3386 (p) 518-445-3363 (f) paul.finkelman@albanylaw.edu www.paulfinkelman.com
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