2005

In June 1964, civil rights volunteer Andrew Goodman sent a postcard home to New York: “Dear Mom and Dad, I have arrived safely in Meridian, Miss. This is a wonderful town and weather is fine, I wish you were here. The people in this city […]

Edgar Ray Killen was sentenced today to twenty years for each of the three verdicts of guilty (to be run consecutively for a total of sixty years), for his involvement in the 1964 murders of Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney. Judge Marcus Gordon […]

The DSJV was recognized with two awards in the 24th annual Rockower awards ceremony tonight in Boston. The Rockowers are the highest honor in the Jewish newspaper industry. DSJV received first place in newswriting for papers under 15,000 in circulation for the January 2004 story, […]

For three or four years, Greenville’s Benjy Nelken was on a committee that tried to interest one of the national movie chains in building a modern, up-to-date theater in Greenville. Nelken said he has always been a movie buff, and wanted to see movies “the […]

Edgar Ray Killen was found guilty today, on the 41st anniversary of the murders of Ben Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, of manslaughter on all three counts of his indictment. He was taken to the Neshoba County jail and will await sentencing on Thursday. […]

Court resumed Saturday in the murder trial of Edgar Ray Killen. The State called the mother of murder victim James Chaney, Fannie Lee Chaney, to the stand. The prosecution rested their case, and the defense called three people to testify before court wrapped up late […]

Following is further DSJV coverage of the Edgar Ray Killen trial for the murders of Michael Schwerner, Andrew Goodman, and James Chaney. This is ***in no way*** an official transcript; however, we wanted to make these statements (excerpts) from the trial today available to our […]

The DSJV was in Philadelphia, MS today covering the Edgar Ray Killen trial. Here is an update: Michael Schwerner’s widow, Rita Schwerner Bender, testified today. She spoke about the work that she and her husband had done to organize voter registration and freedom schools in […]