One civil rights group is giving Governor Beverly Perdue more reason to pardon the Wilmington 10. Members of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP presented the governor with documents they call evidence of jury tampering by former Assistant New Hanover County District Attorney James “Jay” Stroud Jr.
On Oct. 17, 1972, nine young black men and a white woman were convicted of conspiracy to firebomb Mike's Grocery and conspiracy to assault emergency personnel who responded to the fire. They were sentenced to a total of 282 years in prison.
North Carolina chapter president of the NAACP, Reverend Dr. William Barber, says the ‘Stroud Papers’ document what he calls ‘racially motivated gerrymandering’ occurred to ensure a conviction of the Wilmington 10.
"The DA who prosecuted the case perjured himself; he told the courts he was sick. When actually we have his handwritten notes where he says he didn't like the jury he got in Wilmington, New Hanover County, so he got the trial moved to Pender County," explains Dr. Barber. "And then we're able to show in his own handwriting, he went through about 100 jurors, noted who was black and would be an 'uncle tom' and would be favorable to what he wanted, who was black and needed to be removed and who was 'KKK', and he actually said that in these notes, you can see the notation."
Rev. Barber says these files have been part of the public records in the New Hanover County District Attorney's Office, but he will not reveal the source. In 1980, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned all of the convictions. And last May, the NC chapter of the NAACP filed a formal petition requesting Governor Perdue pardon the Wilmington 10. Only six are still alive.
A pardon would also make each of them or their surviving family members eligible to apply for $50,000 per year of incarceration from the state, along with some job training benefits. Governor Perdue has until December 31 to grant the pardons.
