Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement

Justice for Chaney, Schwerner, and Goodman

I was in Neshoba County Mississippi this past weekend. I hope I am wrong, but it appears that the state investigation that was opened in 1999 is losing momentum.

In 1999 Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore reopened the investigation of the 1964 murders of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman. Last month Moore was quoted as saying, "We are winding down our investigation at this point. We've still got the zeal to do it, but there's no sense in doing it if you can't make a strong case. It's getting tougher and tougher, but we're still working. We have something in the works that may pan out. We'll see." In 1967 18 men went on trial on federal conspiracy charges of denying the civil rights of the civil rights workers, seven were convicted, eight acquitted and three had mistrials. But none was ever tried for murder. Nine of 18 men are still alive.

You may wish to write, as I have, to Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore, District Attorney Ken Turner, editors of Mississippi newspapers, and others urging the continued vigorous investigation and ultimate prosecution of the murderers of the three civil rights workers.

Attorney General Mike Moore
MS Attorney General's Office
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205
Telephone: 601-359-3680
Email: msag05@ago.state.ms.us

District Attorney Ken Turner
P.O. Box 603
Philadelphia, MS 39350
Telephone: 601-656-1991
Fax: 601-656-2287

Many of you will have others ideas on how to help keep this investigation moving. Please pursue those ideas and share them with others. Does anyone have contacts that would be useful in getting this case reviewed in a special report by someone like Connie Chung or on some other show?

Please forward this message to anyone you think might be helpful.

John Gibson