On October 24 2004, 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley reports on the murder of old Emmett Till

Summary

El guion del video narra la conmovedora historia de Emmett Till, un joven afroamericano de 14 años asesinado en 1955 en Mississippi por sonreír a una mujer blanca. Su brutal muerte y la impunidad de sus asesinos, Roy Bryant y su medio hermano J.W. Milam, conmovió a la nación y fue un catalizador del movimiento por los derechos civiles. Cinco décadas después, la justicia aún no ha sido servida. La abertura de una investigación por el Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. sugiere que más de una docena de personas podrían haber estado involucradas, incluidos al menos cinco que aún están vivos y podrían enfrentar acusaciones penales. La historia, impulsada por la investigación de Keith Beauchamp, un cineasta aficionado, resalta la lucha continua por la justicia y la verdad.

Takeaways

• 🕯️ El asesinato de Emmett Till en 1955 fue un evento que conmovió a la nación y marcó el inicio del movimiento por los derechos civiles en América.
• 👤 Emmett Till era un joven afroamericano de 14 años que fue secuestrado, torturado y asesinado por sonreír a una mujer blanca en Mississippi.
• 📖 Dos hombres blancos, Roy Bryant y su medio-hermano J.W. Milam, fueron juzgados por el asesinato de Till, pero fueron absueltos por un jurado compuesto exclusivamente por blancos.
• 🔍 Recientemente, el Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. abrió una nueva investigación sobre el caso de Emmett Till, basada en evidencia que sugiere que más de una docena de personas podrían haber estado involucradas en su asesinato.
• 👴 Al menos cinco de las personas sospechosas de estar involucradas en el asesinato de Till aún están vivas y podrían enfrentar acusaciones penales.
• 🏚️ La falta de castigo por el crimen causó una gran indignación y puso en evidencia la discriminación racial y la injusticia en el sur segregacionista.
• 🤔 La historia de Emmett Till muestra cómo las leyes del sur dictaminaban hasta dónde podían comer, beber y dormir los afroamericanos, y cómo la vida de un joven de Chicago que visitaba el sur podría verse amenazada.
• 🗣️ La abuela de Emmett Till, Mamie Till, luchó para que el cuerpo de su hijo fuera llevado de regreso a Chicago para identificarlo antes de enterrarlo, enfrentándose a las autoridades de Mississippi.
• 📰 La imagen del cuerpo de Emmett Till fue publicada en Jet magazine, lo que provocó protestas y un movimiento de desobediencia civil que se extendió por el sur en la década de 1960.
• 👮‍♂️ La policía local y el sheriff, un apasionado segregacionista, intentaron enterrar rápidamente el cuerpo de Till para que el mundo exterior no descubriera lo sucedido.
• 🎬 El documental de Keith Beauchamp, un cineasta aficionado, jugó un papel crucial en la reapertura del caso de Emmett Till, tras investigar y reunir evidencia que sugiere la participación de más personas en el crimen.

Q & A

¿Quién era Emmett Till y qué sucedió en 1955 que impactó a la nación?

Emmett Till era un joven negro de 14 años que fue asesinado en Mississippi por silbarle a una mujer blanca. Su muerte fue un punto de inflexión que encendió el movimiento por los derechos civiles en América.

¿Por qué se abrió una nueva investigación del Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. en el caso de Emmett Till?

Se abrió una nueva investigación debido a evidencia que sugiere que más de una docena de personas podrían haber estado involucradas en el asesinato de Emmett Till, y al menos cinco de ellas aún están vivas, pudiendo enfrentar acusaciones criminales.

¿Quiénes fueron Roy Bryant y J.W. Milam y qué relación tenían con el caso de Emmett Till?

Roy Bryant y su medio-hermano J.W. Milam fueron los dos hombres acusados del asesinato de Emmett Till. Fueron absueltos en un juicio por una jurado compuesto únicamente por blancos, a pesar de la fuerte evidencia en su contra.

¿Cómo fue la situación de Emmett Till antes de ser secuestrado y asesinado?

Emmett Till tenía 14 años y era de Chicago, visitando parientes en Mississippi en agosto de 1955. Fue secuestrado, torturado y asesinado por su actitud desinhibida y por silbarle a una mujer blanca en una tienda.

¿Qué sucedió después de que Emmett Till silbara a Carolyn Bryant y por qué fue un problema?

Después de que Emmett Till silbara a Carolyn Bryant, ella se sintió amenazada y su esposo Roy, junto con su medio-hermano J.W. Milam, lo secuestraron y asesinaron. Fue un problema porque, en ese contexto de segregación racial en el sur de EE. UU., tales actos eran considerados graves delitos.

¿Cómo describió Mamie Till, la madre de Emmett, el cuerpo de su hijo después de ser encontrado?

Mamie Till describió el cuerpo de su hijo como maltratado y torturado, con la nariz destrozada, dientes rotos y una oreja cortada. Su descripción reflejaba el horror de la brutalidad con la que fue asesinado.

¿Qué impacto tuvo la publicación de la foto del cuerpo de Emmett Till en Jet magazine?

La publicación de la foto del cuerpo de Emmett Till en Jet magazine generó protestas y un fuerte rechazo social. Fue un símbolo poderoso del racismo en el sur de los Estados Unidos y contribuyó al movimiento por los derechos civiles.

¿Qué reveló la investigación de Keith Beauchamp y cómo influenció en la re apertura del caso?

Keith Beauchamp, un cineasta aficionado, después de investigar y revisar miles de documentos antiguos y hablar con testigos, creyó que al menos 14 personas podrían haber estado involucradas en el secuestro y asesinato de Emmett Till, y cinco de ellas aún estarían vivas. Su investigación fue fundamental para la re apertura del caso por parte del Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU.

¿Qué papel jugó Carolyn Bryant, la mujer a la que Emmett Till silbó, en el caso y por qué está siendo investigada de nuevo?

Carolyn Bryant, la mujer a la que silbó Emmett Till, está siendo investigada por ser sospechosa de haber ayudado a su esposo Roy y a J.W. Milam en el secuestro de Emmett Till. Se cree que pudo haber estado presente y haber identificado a Emmett cuando fue secuestrado.

¿Qué significa el caso de Emmett Till para la historia de los derechos civiles en los Estados Unidos y por qué sigue siendo relevante?

El caso de Emmett Till es significativo para la historia de los derechos civiles porque su brutal asesinato y la impunidad de sus asesinos resaltaron las profundas inequidades raciales y la segregación en el sur de los Estados Unidos. Su caso sigue siendo relevante porque aboga por la justicia y la verdad, y resalta la lucha continua por la igualdad y la dignidad de todas las personas.

¿Qué esperar del resultado de la nueva investigación del Departamento de Justicia y cómo podría afectar a las personas involucradas?

Se espera que la nueva investigación pueda desentrañar la verdad y, si se encuentran pruebas sólidas, podrían seguir acusaciones criminales contra al menos cinco personas que aún están vivas y que estuvieran involucradas en el caso. Esto podría resultar en un juicio y posiblemente en condenas, ofreciendo un cierre parcial a la familia de Emmett Till y un reconocimiento de la injusticia cometida.

Outlines

00:00

😢 Asesinato de Emmett Till y su impacto en el movimiento por los derechos civiles

El primer párrafo relata el trágico asesinato de Emmett Till, un joven afroamericano de 14 años que fue asesinado en 1955 en Mississippi por sonreír a una mujer blanca. Este suceso fue un punto de inflexión en la lucha por los derechos civiles en Estados Unidos. Se menciona la reciente apertura de una investigación por parte del Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU. basada en evidencia que sugiere la participación de más de una docena de personas en el asesinato, incluidos al menos cinco que aún están vivos y podrían enfrentar acusaciones penales. Además, se describe la situación de la segregación en el sur de los Estados Unidos en esa época y el impacto emocional y social que tuvo el asesinato en la familia de Till y en la sociedad en general.

05:02

🕊️ La indiferencia de la justicia y el legado de Emmett Till

Este párrafo narra los eventos que siguieron al asesinato de Till, incluyendo la captura y el juicio de sus presuntos asesinos, Roy Bryant y su medio-hermano J.W. Milam, quienes fueron absueltos rápidamente por un jurado compuesto exclusivamente por blancos. Se destaca la reacción de la madre de Emmett, Mamie Till, quien decidió exponer la brutalidad del asesinato a través de una fotografía abierta de su hijo en el funeral, lo que generó un fuerte movimiento de protesta y solidaridad. La descripción de la investigación y la falta de justicia por parte de las autoridades de la época pone de manifiesto la profunda discriminación racial existente.

10:02

📖 La investigación reabierta y la búsqueda de la verdad por Keith Beauchamp

El tercer párrafo presenta la re apertura de la investigación sobre el asesinato de Emmett Till impulsada en parte por el trabajo de investigación del cineasta amateur Keith Beauchamp. Se describe cómo Beauchamp, movido por la imagen del cuerpo de Till, dedicó gran parte de su vida a descubrir la verdad detrás de su asesinato. El párrafo también menciona la reacción de las autoridades y el Senador Charles Schumer, quien instó al Departamento de Justicia a reabrir el caso debido a la falta de una investigación completa hace 50 años.

15:05

🔍 Hallazgos de la investigación y la implicación de testigos adicionales

En este párrafo, se detallan algunos de los hallazgos de la investigación de Beauchamp, incluyendo la posible implicación de más de una docena de personas en el asesinato de Till. Se menciona a Henry Lee Loggins, un testigo clave que negó las acusaciones de haber participado en el crimen. Además, se sugiere que podrían haber estado involucrados hombres negros bajo coacción, y se plantea la posibilidad de que una mujer, identificada como la esposa de Roy Bryant, Carolyn, estuviera también involucrada en el asesinato.

20:05

🚨 La investigación actual y la búsqueda de justicia para Emmett Till

Este párrafo habla sobre la investigación en curso por parte del Departamento de Justicia de EE. UU., que está examinando la posible participación de más de una docena de personas en el crimen, incluyendo a aquellos que aún están vivos y podrían enfrentar cargos penales. Se menciona la inclusión de Carolyn Bryant, la esposa de Roy al momento del asesinato, como una posible焦点 de la investigación. El párrafo también describe el encuentro del equipo de periodistas con Carolyn Dunham, su actual nombre, y la negativa de ella y su familia a comentar el caso.

25:08

🏛️ La llamada a la justicia y el reconocimiento del dolor histórico

El último párrafo concluye el script reflejando sobre la búsqueda de justicia para la familia de Emmett Till y el dolor que el asesinato sigue causando después de 50 años. Se sugiere que una eventual condena de los culpables, incluso después de tanto tiempo, podría traer cierta medida de justicia, pero también resaltaría el dolor y la tristeza que sigue vivo en la familia y en la comunidad. El párrafo cuestiona la capacidad de la humanidad para cometer actos tan atroces y destaca la importancia de no olvidar el legado de Till.

Keywords

💡Emmett Till

Emmett Till fue un joven afroamericano de 14 años que fue asesinado en 1955 en Mississippi por sonreír o silbar a una mujer blanca. Este suceso fue un punto de inflexión en la lucha por los derechos civiles en Estados Unidos. En el guion, su nombre simboliza la brutalidad del racismo en el sur de los Estados Unidos y el inicio de un movimiento por la igualdad racial.

💡derechos civiles

Los derechos civiles son los derechos legales y sociales que garantizan la igualdad ante la ley y la participación política sin discriminación. En el video, el asesinato de Emmett Till es mencionado como un catalizador del movimiento por los derechos civiles en América, donde se luchaba contra la segregación y la discriminación racial.

💡juez y jurado blancos

El término 'juez y jurado blancos' se refiere a la composición racial del tribunal que absolvió a los acusados en el caso de Emmett Till. En el guion, esta circunstancia ilustra la desigualdad en la justicia y la prevalencia del racismo institucional en el sur de los Estados Unidos durante la época de la segregación.

💡violencia racial

La violencia racial es el abuso físico o psicológico basado en la raza. En el guion, la tortura y el asesinato de Emmett Till son ejemplos de violencia racial que reflejan el odio racial y la brutalidad con la que se trataba a las minorías en el sur de Estados Unidos.

💡segregación

La segregación es la práctica social o legal de separar a individuos basándose en su raza. En el contexto del video, la segregación del sur de Estados Unidos significaba restricciones en la vida diaria de las personas negras, como dónde podían comer, beber y dormir, y es un reflejo del racismo institucional de la época.

💡investigación del Departamento de Justicia

La 'investigación del Departamento de Justicia' se refiere al esfuerzo del gobierno de Estados Unidos por reabrir el caso de Emmett Till en busca de justicia y posibles implicaciones adicionales. En el guion, esta investigación es significativa ya que sugiere que más personas podrían haber estado involucradas en el asesinato y que algunos podrían enfrentar cargos penales.

💡testigo clave

Un testigo clave es una persona cuya testimonio es particularmente importante en un juicio. En el guion, Willie Reed, un testigo de 18 años en el momento del asesinato, es mencionado como alguien que presenció eventos cruciales y que tuvo el coraje de testificar en el juicio de Roy Bryant y J.W. Milam.

💡confesión

Una confesión es una admisión voluntaria de haber cometido un crimen. En el guion, Roy Bryant y J.W. Milam confesaron a un reportero de Look magazine haber torturado y asesinado a Emmett Till, lo que refleja la impunidad con la que contaban y la falta de consecuencias por su crimen.

💡Keith Beauchamp

Keith Beauchamp es un cineasta aficionado que se dedicó a investigar el caso de Emmett Till después de ver una foto impactante de su cuerpo. En el guion, Beauchamp es crucial ya que su investigación llevó al Departamento de Justicia a reabrir el caso, lo que demuestra el poder de la investigación independiente y la perseverancia en la búsqueda de la verdad.

💡Carolyn Bryant

Carolyn Bryant, ahora conocida como Carolyn Dunham, es mencionada en el guion como la mujer a la que Emmett Till silbó. Se sospecha que ayudó en el secuestro de Emmett y está siendo investigada en la nueva investigación del Departamento de Justicia. Su implicación en el caso resalta la complicada dinámica de la sociedad del sur de Estados Unidos en ese momento.

💡justicia retrasada

La 'justicia retrasada' se refiere a la administración de la justicia que ocurre mucho tiempo después de un evento o crimen. En el guion, la re apertura del caso de Emmett Till después de décadas ilustra cómo la justicia puede ser lenta en llegar, pero aún es posible, y es un paso hacia la reconciliación y la sanción de los responsables.

Highlights

Emmett Till, a young black boy, was murdered in Mississippi in 1955 for whistling at a white woman, an event that sparked the civil rights movement.

Two white men, Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam, were acquitted of Emmett's murder by an all-white jury despite strong evidence against them.

The U.S. Justice Department opened a new investigation into Emmett Till's murder in 2023, suggesting over a dozen people may have been involved.

At least five individuals potentially involved in Emmett's murder are still alive and could face criminal prosecution.

Emmett Till was from Chicago and was visiting relatives in Mississippi when the incident occurred.

Wheeler Parker Jr., Emmett's cousin, shared his perspective on Emmett's character and the cultural differences between Chicago and Mississippi.

The incident at Bryant's grocery store, where Emmett whistled at Carolyn Bryant, led to a series of tragic events.

Emmett's abduction and murder were carried out by Roy and J.W. Milam, who later confessed to the crime but were never punished.

Mamie Till, Emmett's mother, fought to have her son's body returned to Chicago and made the decision to have an open casket funeral to reveal the brutality of his murder.

The shocking image of Emmett Till's body in the open casket was published in Jet magazine, igniting widespread protests and civil disobedience.

The trial of Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam was held in Sumner, Mississippi, where they were acquitted in just over an hour by an all-white jury.

Willie Reed, an 18-year-old sharecropper, testified to seeing Emmett with six people before his abduction and hearing screams, suggesting his torture.

Despite the confession of the killers, no action was taken by the government for nearly 50 years, leaving the Till family without justice.

The reopening of the Emmett Till case was largely due to the research of Keith Beauchamp, an amateur filmmaker from Louisiana.

Beauchamp's research suggests the possible involvement of more than a dozen people in the murder, including some who are still alive.

Henry Lee Loggins, now 81, was allegedly involved in Emmett's abduction and murder, and is currently under investigation by the Justice Department.

The possibility of black men being involved in the crime raises questions about coercion and the complex racial dynamics of the time.

Carolyn Bryant, the woman whistled at by Emmett, is suspected of assisting in the abduction and is a focus of the new investigation.

The Justice Department's investigation could lead to criminal charges against at least five people within a year.

The pursuit of justice in Emmett Till's case, even after 50 years, is seen as a necessary step to reconcile past injustices and send a message against racial violence.

Transcripts

60 Minutes rewind

for many of you the name Emmett Till May

not sound familiar but what happened to

him in 1955 stunned the nation Emmett

Till was a young black boy who was

murdered in Mississippi for whistling at

a white woman and his death was a spark

that ignited the civil rights movement

in America two white men were put on

trial for killing him but in spite of

strong evidence against them they were

acquitted in about an hour by an

all-white jury

why are we telling you this now because

this past spring the U.S justice

department opened a new investigation

based on evidence suggesting that more

than a dozen people may have been

involved in the murder of Emmett Till

and that at least five of them are still

alive

those five could face criminal

prosecution and before we tell you about

them let us tell you what happened to

Emmett Till

he was 14 years old when he was

kidnapped tortured and killed the two

men who were acquitted of his murder

were Roy Bryant and his half-brother J.W

Milo the failure to punish anyone for

the crime made headlines across the

country and around the world exposing

the racial hatred and unequal Justice

for blacks that was pervasive in the

segregated South

where laws dictated where blacks could

eat

and drink

and where they could sleep

but Emmett Till wasn't from the south he

was from Chicago and just visiting

relatives in Mississippi in August of

1955 when his nightmare began image 16

year old cousin traveled to Mississippi

with him the family was reluctant to let

Emmett take the trip afraid his

free-spirited nature could get him into

trouble in the Deep South

that cousin who traveled with him is

wheeler Parker Jr now 65 years old he

was the center of Attraction he's a

little pranks he loves fun he loved

jokes you know he just was there in the

center of everything he's kind of a

natural born leader

why would that be a problem

I mean Mississippi if I were to be a

problem

that would be a problem because uh the

mississippians what he thought was just

fun or a joke wasn't funny to them so

before you went down did anybody say

look here are the do's and the don'ts

about going to Mississippi you do this

you don't do that oh yes that's routine

you're always prepared to go to

Mississippi to stay alive because you

know once you got to Mississippi you had

no protection under the law you couldn't

call anyone for help once you were there

if you got in trouble for imitate until

the trouble started here

at Bryant's meat market and grocery

store in Money Mississippi

back then most of the customers at this

store were black workers from nearby

cotton plantations the store was owned

by a white couple Roy Bryant and his 21

year old wife Carolyn who was behind the

counter the afternoon that Emmett Till

and his cousins came in to buy some

candy as he was leaving the store Emmett

Till whistled at Carolyn Bryant and she

went to get a gun

Simeon Wright Emmett Till's cousin who

lived in Mississippi was 12 years old on

that day when they went to Bryant's

grocery store today at 62 he says the

sound of Emmett whistling is as Vivid to

him now as it was 50 years ago when he

whistle we all

we ran we jumped in the car and we got

out of there just because he was oh yes

it's like if you if you're a kid you

throw a rock and break a window you

don't hang around and see what's going

to happen and you knew that in

Mississippi

at that time 1955

that was something you didn't do that

was something you didn't do

Emmett Till and his cousins raced home

that day and hoped nothing would come of

what imminent had done

but three days later Carolyn Brian's

husband Roy and his half-brother J.W

Milam went looking for him until in the

middle of the night and found him and

his cousins at the home of Reverend Mose

Wright Emmett's late great uncle who

recounted what happened next

Sunday morning about 2 30

. I Heard a Voice at the door

and I who was it and it said this is Mr

bright

I want to talk with you and the boy

and when I opened the door

that was a man standing with a pistol in

one hand the flashlight in another

Emmett Till and Simeon Wright moves

right son were to sleep together in one

room and Wheeler Parker was in another

room awakened by the sounds of angry

voices field just regret me because in

my heart I say I'm getting ready to die

and at 16 I wasn't ready to die

and I could just feel like the whole bed

was shaking and then these guys come

with the pistol in one hand and a

flashlight in the oven

and for some reason I closed my eyes and

I opened them and they just passed right

on by me went to the next room I woke up

and I I looked I saw two men standing

over the bed with the one-handed gun

which was JW Milan I saw uh Roy Bryant

they ordered me to lay back down and go

back to sleep

and they ordered Emmett to get up and

put his clothes on and my mother was

pleading and begging with them not to

take him my dad was pleading with him

and and my mother then at that time

offered to to give them money

to leave uh Emmett alone

and Roy Bryant kind of hesitated but JW

Milan

he didn't hesitate at all he didn't even

think about taking money he came there

to take Emmett and that's what he

proceeded to do

before taking Emmett Till out of the

house Simeon Wright says J.W Milam

threatened his father Reverend Mose

Wright before they left my room he

turned and asked my daddy how old was he

my daddy told him that he was 64.

and J.W Milan said if you tell anybody

about this you won't live to get 65.

well what did you think then this man

wasn't afraid of the law

he marched into my home

take out my cousin

and wasn't afraid the law was going to

bother him this must have been

terrifying for you I mean you were just

you weren't 13 yet 12 years old 12 years

old lying in bed in the middle of the

night two white men come in one with a

gun and tells your cousin to get up and

get dressed yes yes

I'd have been scared to death not on a

free but that was a a sorrow of sadness

over the whole house look like you look

like you could you can cut the grief in

the in the house

because after they left no one said

anything Holly

I would like to hear my dad say was um

on August 31st 1955 three days after

he'd been abducted Emmett Till's mangled

body was found by a boy fishing in the

waters of a Tallahatchie River not far

from money

his body had been weighted down by a 75

pound fan from a cotton gin attached to

his neck by barbed wire he'd been badly

tortured and I was detached an ear cut

off and he appeared to have been shot in

the head

his death was the birth of a powerful

and Lasting symbol of Southern racism in

the 20th century

the local sheriff h.c Strider a

plantation owner and Ardent

segregationist tried to have the body

buried immediately in this small

Cemetery in Money Mississippi hoping no

one in the outside world would ever find

out what happened to Emmett Till

but Emmett's mother Mamie battled with

Mississippi authorities and was able to

have her son's body return to Chicago so

she could identify him before she buried

it Mamie 2 was determined never to let

anyone forget the brutal way in which

her son was killed she described the

chilling story in one of the final

interviews she gave before her death

last year at age 81. I looked at the

bridge of his nose and it looked like

someone had taken a meat Chopper and

chopped it

and

I looked to this teeth

because I took so much pride in his

teeth his teeth were the prettiest

things I'd ever seen in my life I

thought

and uh

I only saw two

who read the rest of them had just been

knocked out

and I was looking at his ears and that's

when I discovered a whole about here and

I could see daylight on the other side

I said I wasn't necessary to shoot him

some 50 000 people nearly all of them

black turned out for Emmett Till's

funeral in an enormous public display of

grief and solidarity

Mamie till ordered the funeral director

to place our son in an open casket

and permitted this shocking photograph

of Emmett's corpse which was published

in Jet magazine and seen across the

country

it ignited protests Civil Disobedience

and backlash that would consume the

South through the 60s I said I want the

world to see this because when people

saw what had happened

to this little 14 year old boy

they knew then that not only were men

black men in danger

but black children as well

the same day that Emmett Till was buried

Roy Bryant and J.W Milam were indicted

on charges of kidnapping and murder

their trial was held in the small

Mississippi town of Sumner billed as a

good place to raise a boy

the star witness was Emmett Till's late

great uncle Mose Wright who bravely

stood up in the courtroom and pointed

his finger at Milam and Bryant as the

ones who had come to his home and

abducted Emmett Till at gunpoint another

key witness was an 18 year old

sharecropper named Willie Reed who said

that on the morning after Emmett Till

was abducted he saw Emmett on a truck

with six people Roy Bryant J.W Milam two

other white men and two black men who

worked for Milam soon after Reid said he

saw the same truck parked in front of a

barn managed at the time by Milam's

brother and heard the screams of a young

boy he presumed was Emmett Till

today at age 67 Reed says he still

cannot get those sounds out of his mind

I heard the streaming being streaming

and being

and I said to myself

you could hear the looks yes you could

you could according to Willie Reed and

another witness four white men came out

of the barn including Milam who walked

right up to Reed carrying a 45 caliber

pistol

Marlon was coming out of the bond so he

actually said listen say uh did you all

hear anything and I said no I haven't

heard anything

why would you say that I mean you had

heard something you had heard screaming

you had heard somebody being beaten yeah

I saw about it was being beaten but then

you see modeling come on with what I

could say with a khaki pants on and a

green shedding 45 on his side then he

asked you and what's he gonna say

you didn't hear anything I didn't hear

anything

you knew that's what he wanted to hear

right

when they found the body did you put two

and two together and think that what you

had heard going on in that Barn that

that was Emmett Till are you sure

I wish you were there

I wish you were there fearing for his

life after testifying against Milam and

Bryant Willie Reed was smuggled out of

Mississippi

he went to Chicago where he suffered a

nervous breakdown and was hospitalized

you're a good man you got a lot of

Courage for 18 year old I think there

are a lot of people who would have

walked away from it wouldn't have said a

word no I I

couldn't I couldn't walk away from that

like that

because uh even was 14

probably never been admissive in his

life

and to come to visit his grandfather

and they

killed himself I mean so that's not

right and I saw when he we needed

pictures he saw his his body what he was

like then I knew that I couldn't say no

as the trial Drew to a close attorneys

for J.W Milam and Roy Bryant warned the

all-white jury that if they voted to

convict quote your forefathers will turn

over in their graves

it took the jury just an hour and seven

minutes to return a verdict of not

guilty

one juror said it wouldn't have taken

that long but they stopped to take a

soda pop break to make it look good

Milam and Bryant were congratulated by

their many supporters and kissed their

wives in Celebration

how do you folks feel now that it's all

over Roy how about you

I'm just glad it's over with

four months after the trial knowing that

double jeopardy protected them from

being tried again Roy Bryan and J.W

Milam admitted to a reporter from look

magazine that they had in fact tortured

and murdered Emmett Till

they were paid four thousand dollars for

their story in it Milam said I just made

up my mind Chicago boy I said I'm tired

of them sending your kind down here to

stir up trouble

damn you I'm going to make an example of

you

Emmett Till's family has had to live

with that for nearly 50 years that his

Killers confessed and nothing ever

happened to them

now with a new government investigation

underway Simeon right hopes someone will

finally be held accountable for the

murder of his cousin JW Modern War

Bryant

confess

that they kill Emin

the people of the state of Mississippi

said they didn't

we need to reconcile that statement and

we need to send a message to those who

are committing crimes against blacks

like this that you can get by but you

can't get away

the Justice eventually is going to find

you when the U.S justice department

announced recently that it was opening a

new investigation into the 1955 murder

of 14 year old Emmett Till It said the

case was a quote grotesque miscarriage

of justice and that it is examining

evidence pointing to the possible

involvement of more than a dozen people

in the crime Rory Bryan and J.W Milam

who were tried and acquitted are dead

but a number of others are still alive

and could face criminal charges for

their role in Emmett Till's abduction

beating murder and attempts to cover it

up

the justice department says it is

largely because of this young man that

the case has been reopened his name is

Keith beauchon an amateur filmmaker and

it's from Louisiana like a lot of people

in this country he was moved by the

shocking photograph of Emmett Till's

corpse that he saw while looking through

old magazines when he was just 10 years

old and ever since Beauchamp has devoted

much of his life to uncovering the truth

about what happened to him until after

seeing the photograph it shocked me

tremendously and um when parents came in

and set me down and explained to me at

that time the story of Emmett Till and

it hit me hard it really hit me hard I

heard the same story um I mean I

remember seeing this picture in that Jet

Magazine when I was a kid and I think

Emmett Till and I were probably about

the same age in 1955 14 years old

and growing up in in Philadelphia

you knew vaguely about the South but

like others my parents had protected me

from the realities of the South when I

saw that picture and I said hey

that's when I got my first lesson about

the south everyone has a story when they

first saw that photograph it stuck with

me that how could this person be killed

this way a youth you know that was like

me it was amazing to me that something

like that could happen

Keith Beauchamp told us that after

reviewing thousands of old documents and

talking to numerous Witnesses with

knowledge of the crime he believes that

at least 14 people may have been

involved in the kidnapping and murder of

Emmett Till and that five of them are

still alive you describe much of this to

Federal and and state investigations and

their reaction to that information their

reaction was overwhelming they couldn't

believe that a person this young would

be so interested in finding out the

truth I guess they were really stunned

that I did so much research on this case

so was Senator Charles Schumer a member

of the Senate Judiciary Committee which

has oversight of the justice department

after meeting with Keith Beauchamp and

his attorney Ken Thompson and examining

the research Beauchamp was gathering for

a documentary film he was working on

Senator Schumer urged the department to

reopen the Emmett Till case saying it

was never fully investigated 50 years

ago how would you characterize a conduct

of the federal

law enforcement agencies for the 50

years of this federal law enforcement

back then and even many years later

reflected the attitude of America oh

these things happen this is how it is

down there it is a stain and will be a

stain on both the Mississippi law

enforcement officials and the United

States federal government justice

department that it took

a young filmmaker to bring to light what

they should have brought to light in

1955 Emmett Till's mother Mamie tried to

get her government to bring the truth to

light she sent a telegram to president

Dwight Eisenhower

urging that Justice be meted out to all

persons involved in the beastly lynching

of her son in spite of FBI records and

news reports at the time citing specific

individuals President Eisenhower didn't

take any action Emmett Till's mother

died before the government reopened the

case this past spring a case based

largely on the research of Keith

Beauchamp among his discoveries

was Henry Lee Loggins now 81 years old

and living in Ohio

at the time of the murder Loggins was

working for J.W Milam FBI files from

1955 refer to Witnesses who claim they

saw Logans on the truck with Emmett Till

after he was abducted one respected

black newspaper at the time even

reported that Loggins allegedly held

Emmett Till down as Milam and Bryant

tortured him

Loggins was also reportedly ordered by

them to attach the fan from a cotton gin

around Till's neck just before tossing

him into the Tallahatchie River Henry

Lee Loggins is now under investigation

by the justice department when we talked

to him recently he denied the

allegations that have dogged him for

half a century I wouldn't say he didn't

tell a lie I went with them people I I

saw another how do you think your name

came up I mean not just in newspaper

articles but also with the FBI why did

people say that Henry Lee Loggins was

there I can't figure that out I couldn't

figure that out today Henry Lee how do

you explain all these stories it just

won't go away

such as you were there on the back of

the truck which I wasn't

that you participated in the in the

Abduction the kidnapping and the murder

of Emma too which I wouldn't

that you tossed his body in the river

which I wasn't what's your name yeah

yeah I said I wouldn't say it again tell

you no lie I don't know nothing about

that case what are you going to do when

the FBI comes knocking out I'm telling

them same thing that I wasn't there and

that's them too Lord know I wouldn't ask

five other black men now dead have also

been implicated in some way in the

abduction and murder of him until if any

of the allegations are true the question

is why knowing now that black men could

possibly have been involved I just keep

thinking you know about what could have

been going through him until his mind

you know seeing this and how do you

explain that that well they would turn

on one of their own we believe that they

were forced

to participate in the crime it was going

to even be them I Emmett Till it was

shocking at first because for so long

you've heard you know white men were

involved and that's what was it was a

white and black man you can help but you

know be amazed

it seems clear that black men were

involved Emmett Till's late great uncle

Mose Wright said there was a black man

on the porch when J.W Milam and Roy

Bryant came to take Emmett Till

he also said he heard a woman's voice

that night coming from a truck parked

outside he believed it was Roy Bryant's

wife Carolyn the woman Emmett Till had

whistled at several days earlier inside

her husband's grocery store in Money

Mississippi

most right son Simeon Emmett's cousin

says his father told him the same thing

oh yes it was a another man standing on

the porch

my dad talked about it that was uh

another person in the truck because when

they marched Emmett out to the truck

and they asked the person inside the

truck is this someone

my dad said heard a woman's voice

identifying him and as the boy that did

the whistling

so that must have been Brian's wife Mr

Bryant at that time we believed it was

uh Brian's wife and after 48 and some

odd years there's nothing has arisen to

dispel that belief

apparently the local authorities back

then believed it too and according to

FBI communiques issued an arrest warrant

for Carolyn Bryant on suspicion of

kidnapping but she was never arrested or

charged today we've learned that Carolyn

Bryant is a focus of the Justice

Department's new investigation suspected

of having assisted her husband Roy and

J.W Milam in the Abduction of Emmett

Till

she was divorced in 1979 and has since

remarried and moved several times

she had all but disappeared from public

view until we found her now age 70 and

known as Carolyn Dunham

living in Greenville Mississippi

while our cameraman was able to take

these pictures of her when I went to her

house she wouldn't answer the door

moments later her son Frank Bryant

arrived and we tried to talk to him

can we talk to Mrs Dunham can you talk

to me can I talk you get her to come out

no

I have some questions I'd like to ask

her about Emmett Till I'm sorry

will she come out and talk to us what'd

I do to you tell me again no she won't

back

I'm back I said goodbye goodbye

you're leaving

we called the house later in the day in

either Frank Bryant nor his mother

Carolyn would discuss the Emmett Till

case any further

we've learned that the justice

department could complete its

investigation within a year and criminal

charges against at least five people

could follow but the justice department

and the FBI declined to comment what

would Justice be in this case in my

opinion there ought to be a full trial

and if there are convictions even though

the people are old who did it they ought

to go to jail

while that may finally bring a measure

of Justice to the family of Emmett Till

it also brings back the pain

these memories are still sharp after 50

years oh yes

I'll never go away I'm still saying how

could that happen why would anyone

hate anyone to beat him and kill him and

torture him like that how can a human

being do that to a level

all because of a whistle