Florida Flag Day History

On Flag Day in 1959 the headline in the New York Times read: “Four guilty of Raping negro; Florida Jury votes mercy”. That is four white men were found guilty of raping a black lady. This was the case of Florida v. Scarborough, Beagles, Stoutamire, and Collinsworth that was heard in Tallahassee, Florida.

A fascinating case in which the defense overtly appealed to the prejudices of the all white jury. That is the way black people were treated back then. Has much changed?

The defense attorney Harry Michaels called for an acquittal, arguing that the jury could not possibly convict on the basis of only one witness-the victim- and concluded with “Are you going to believe this (n-word) wench over these four boys?”

And if that wasn’t bad enough, defendant Collinsworth blamed his actions on the “indian blood” pulsing through his veins and the Pensacola psychiatrist Dr. W.M.C Wilhout argued “It is a known fact that individuals of the indian race react violently and primitively when psychotic or intoxicated”.

In his summation to the jury, prosecuting attorney William Hopkins argued “Suppose 2 colored boys and their moron friends attacked Mrs. Beagles’ daughter…had taken her at gunpoint from a car and forced her into a secluded place, had intercourse with her seven times, leaving her in such a condition that she collapsed and had to be hospitalized?”

The recommendation for mercy made it inescapably clear that the death penalty for rape is only for colored men accused by white women.

Read more in the book “Other Souths” by Pippa Holloway.