Birmingham Church Bombing
By Isabelle
On September 15, 1963 four innocent girls were killed in Birmingham, Alabama at the sixteenth street baptist church. There were four suspects: Robert Chambliss, Bobby Cherry, Herman Cash, and Thomas Blanton--all members of the Ku Klux Klan. A closer look at their backgrounds and activities provides some insight about each of these men.
Alabama's Attorney General William J. Baxley got some information from the FBI revealing the suspects’ names, one of which was Robert Chambliss. Chambliss niece was the witness, and the before the bombing he told his niece "Let them wait till after Sunday Morning.They will beg us to segregate.Robert was charged with the crime in 2000 and was convicted in 2002. He was convicted for life and would spend the rest of his life and dies in jail.
The next suspect was Thomas E. Blanton.He was 25 years old when the bombing occurred. He was spotted at the church at 2 a.m. On the morning of the church bombing. Blanton was convicted in May 2001, after they found a tape recording of him and his wife planting the bomb. He was charged with murder on May 17, 2000 and was going to spend the rest of his life in jail.
The next suspect was Bobby Frank. Bobby, many years later after the bombing, told his family and co-workers that he had helped with the bombing. The results of this confession, he was charged with the crime in 2000 at the age of 69. He almost escaped going to trial by pretending he was losing his mind. After doctors noticed he was faking, he was convicted and imprisoned in 2002 and died in prison is 2004.
The last suspect was Herman Cash. Before William J. Baxley could file against him, in 1994 Herman Cash died, escaping any form of punishment for the bombing.
Because of these culprits, four innocent girls were killed. As you can see it takes a long process to declare someone guilty or innocent.
By Isabelle
On September 15, 1963 four innocent girls were killed in Birmingham, Alabama at the sixteenth street baptist church. There were four suspects: Robert Chambliss, Bobby Cherry, Herman Cash, and Thomas Blanton--all members of the Ku Klux Klan. A closer look at their backgrounds and activities provides some insight about each of these men.
Alabama's Attorney General William J. Baxley got some information from the FBI revealing the suspects’ names, one of which was Robert Chambliss. Chambliss niece was the witness, and the before the bombing he told his niece "Let them wait till after Sunday Morning.They will beg us to segregate.Robert was charged with the crime in 2000 and was convicted in 2002. He was convicted for life and would spend the rest of his life and dies in jail.
The next suspect was Thomas E. Blanton.He was 25 years old when the bombing occurred. He was spotted at the church at 2 a.m. On the morning of the church bombing. Blanton was convicted in May 2001, after they found a tape recording of him and his wife planting the bomb. He was charged with murder on May 17, 2000 and was going to spend the rest of his life in jail.
The next suspect was Bobby Frank. Bobby, many years later after the bombing, told his family and co-workers that he had helped with the bombing. The results of this confession, he was charged with the crime in 2000 at the age of 69. He almost escaped going to trial by pretending he was losing his mind. After doctors noticed he was faking, he was convicted and imprisoned in 2002 and died in prison is 2004.
The last suspect was Herman Cash. Before William J. Baxley could file against him, in 1994 Herman Cash died, escaping any form of punishment for the bombing.
Because of these culprits, four innocent girls were killed. As you can see it takes a long process to declare someone guilty or innocent.