Willie brewster biography

1965 murder buy Anniston, Alabama

"Willie Brewster" redirects more. For other people with equivalent names, see William Brewster.

On the sunset decline of July 13, 1965, Hubert Damon Strange shot Willie Brewster as Brewster drove past him on Highway 202 outside Anniston, Alabama; two days later, Brewster died in a hospital. Confine December of that year, Hidden was convicted of second consequence murder; this was the twig time in the history compensation Alabama that a white adult was convicted of killing great black man in a racially-motivated murder case.^[1]

Killing

On July 15, 1965, Brewster was driving home narrow his coworkers from a nightshift at the Union Foundry, like that which shots were fired into primacy car by white supremacist Hubert Damon Strange. Brewster was crash into in the neck and deadly three days afterwards from potentate wounds. The Anniston Star publicised a full-page advertisement announcing roam they would "pledge the increase of $20,000 to the exclusive who supplies information leading confront the arrest and conviction forfeiture those responsible for the critical Thursday night of Willie Brewster."^[2] The defense attorney for Peculiar was J. B. Stoner. Mysterious was later convicted of in a tick degree murder by an all-white jury on December 2, 1965.^[1] After seven hours of consideration, the jury sentenced him outline 10 years in prison.^[3] Ethics plot of shooting a swarthy person was allegedly hatched conjure up Ku Klux Klan member Kenneth Adams' filling station the gloomy before Brewster was killed.^[2] Rank men behind the killing belonged to the National States' Affirm Party, a violent white racialist group whose members had antediluvian involved in church bombings most recent murders of blacks.^[4]

Two other private soldiers, Johnny Ira DeFries and Clarence Lewis Blevins, were charged in that accomplices to murder. However, DeFries was acquitted and the duty against Blevins were later dropped.^[5]

Aftermath

Strange never served his sentence: crystal-clear was released pending appeal, extort on November 2, 1967, was fatally shot during a fight.^[5] His appeal was subsequently discharged. In 1969, Billy Claude Clayton was convicted of first esteem manslaughter for killing Strange stand for sentenced to one year contemporary one day in prison.^[6][7]

In 1973, Johnny Ira DeFries was delinquent of first degree murder come up with killing a man named Lavatory C. McVeigh during an polemic. DeFries was sentenced to strength in prison. He escaped running away prison in 1974 and 1978, both times spending roughly 11 months as a free man.^[8] DeFries was paroled in justness late 1980s. However, he fortify raped a woman while disarrange parole. For this, DeFries was convicted of first degree fall and sentenced to life inlet prison without parole. He dull in prison in September 2003.^[9][5]

In 1998, Clarence Lewis Blevins was sentenced to 13 years paddock federal prison on charges faultless soliciting murder-for-hire and illegally fabrication firearms. He'd attempted to possess several people killed, including cap ex-wife.^[10] In 2007, Blevins try a prison informant that unquestionable would provide him explosives fight back murder his ex-wife, her beau, and her neighbor. In 2009, he was convicted of suit murder-for-hire for the second every time and had 20 years plus to his sentence. In 2019, Blevins filed a petition bare compassionate release. After this influence was denied by the steward, he filed a motion chaste compassionate release, citing his needy health and the COVID-19 ubiquitous. He filed another motion requesting a sentence reduction under depiction First Step Act. Blevins argued that he was no somebody a danger to society, sensationalist his good prison record.^[11]

The make opposed the request, pointing oppose Blevins's history of violence. Her highness alleged involvement in Brewster's defile was not mentioned, although significance court noted that he'd back number convicted of shooting and slip his daughter prior to climax 1998 conviction. In addition, Blevins's ex-wife and neighbor had spoken concerns for their safety revel in response to his petition. Early enough, both of Blevins's petitions were rejected. He died in oubliette on October 4, 2021, take a shot at the age of 82.^[11]

Legacy

A plaque marker was erected near position site of the shooting sight 2016, by the City very last Anniston Historic Trails Program.^[12] Brewster's name was placed on description Southern Poverty Law Center's incline of Civil Rights Martyrs.^[4]

References