Lyons v. Oklahoma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lyons v. Oklahoma |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Argued April 26, 1944 Decided June 5, 1944 |
|
| Full case name | Lyons v. Oklahoma |
| Citations | 322 U.S. 596 (more)
64 S. Ct. 1208; 88 L. Ed. 1481
|
| Holding | |
| The jury's decisions that the effects of the police's violent coercion of the first confession had dissipated prior to his second confession and that the latter was voluntary, and the subsequent conviction, did not violate due process or the defendant's Fourteenth Amendment rights.. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Reed, joined by Stone, Roberts, Frankfurter, Jackson |
| Concurrence | Douglas |
| Dissent | Murphy, joined by Black |
| Dissent | Rutledge |
Lyons v. Oklahoma, a case from 1944, was about a man named William Douglas Lyons. He was accused of a serious crime in Oklahoma. This case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The main issue was whether his confessions were truly voluntary or if he was forced to say them. A very important lawyer, Thurgood Marshall, helped defend Mr. Lyons.
Contents
The Story of William Lyons
William Douglas Lyons was a young African American man, 21 years old, who worked as a sharecropper. This meant he farmed land owned by someone else and paid rent with a share of his crops. He was accused of a terrible crime in Choctaw County, Oklahoma.
During questioning, Mr. Lyons was treated very harshly by the police. After hours of this treatment, he made a confession.
Thurgood Marshall's Role
Thurgood Marshall was a famous lawyer who later became a Supreme Court Justice. He traveled to Oklahoma to help Mr. Lyons. Marshall questioned the police officers involved in the case. He believed strongly that Mr. Lyons was innocent.
Even though Marshall presented strong arguments, the judge allowed a jury to decide. The jury believed that a second confession Mr. Lyons made, several hours after the harsh treatment stopped, was given freely.
What Happened Next
William Lyons was found guilty and spent 20 years in prison. However, he was not given the death penalty. His lawyers showed how police and officials had acted unfairly. Many people thought he would be found innocent because of the problems with the case.
Thurgood Marshall was very concerned about the outcome. He felt there was strong proof that his client was innocent. This case brought up important questions about what makes a confession truly voluntary. Some people even thought that Mr. Lyons might have been used as a scapegoat to avoid bad publicity for local officials.
In 1961, Mr. Lyons was released from prison on parole. Then, in 1965, the Governor of Oklahoma officially pardoned him. After that, he lived a quiet life away from public attention.
See also
- Chambers v. Florida
- Groveland Four
Images for kids
