The Department of Justice responds to the letter writing campaign initiated by IC students and the African-Latino Society.
Emmett Till Case Update
April 24, 2006 – Ithaca, NY—The Department of Justice responds to a letter campaign which encouraged the reopening of the Emmett Till case.
Emmett Till’s case brought consciousness and awareness on race relations and the judicial system of the United States, while encouraging students to join the fight for civil rights and take action against injustice. On January 16, 2005, Ithaca College celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a plethora of events. One of these was a screening of Keith Beauchamp’s documentary, “The Untold Story of Emmett Till.” The film focused on the life of Emmett Till, an African American fourteen year old boy who was murdered in Mississippi in 1955 by two white men after allegedly whistling at a white woman. However, no one was held responsible for the crime and the case remained closed until May 2004, when the controversy surrounding the documentary helped to reopen it.
The African-Latino Society sponsored a discussion on the documentary soon after the screening. The discussion was hosted by former Assistant Professor, Zachary Williams, from the Center for Culture, Race, and Ethnicity. The discussion initiated a response to the case and led students to become more involved by signing letters that were mailed out to the United States Department of Justice. The letters asked the department to consider prosecution and to understand the importance and significance of this case. The Department of Justice recently responded to the letters sent by the African-Latino Society stating that the investigation has been completed and that the case has been closed. According to the United States Department of Justice:
“The information developed by the FBI in its exhaustive investigation confirmed the Department of Justice's earlier conclusion that the five-year statute of limitations on any potential federal criminal civil rights violation has expired, thereby precluding federal prosecution of this case.”
Regardless of the outcome of this case, the letters sent by the African-Latino Society were greatly appreciated and through Beauchamp’s documentary people will continue to be educated on this historical event. Emmett Till’s case will not be forgotten and it will
forever remain at the center of discussions on race relations and the fairness of the judicial system in the United States. For more information please contact Patricia Rodriguez, Public Relations representative, at (646)-239-0236.
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https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20060425220622640