Those who got away with murder during the civil rights era should start being afraid, say supporters of legislation passed Wednesday.
“The greatest criminal manhunt in this country’s history is under way for these perpetrators,” said Alvin Sykes of Kansas City, architect of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act. “If they didn’t believe it before, they’ll believe it now.”
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed by unanimous consent a bill that would establish a cold-cases unit within the Justice Department to pursue unpunished crimes from the civil rights era. President Bush is expected to sign it.
“At long last, I am proud to say that today we’ve taken one step closer to righting the wrongs of the past and bringing to justice those who have perpetrated heinous crimes based on racial hatred,” said U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., one of the original sponsors of the legislation.
The Till bill would give the Justice Department $10 million a year to examine civil rights killings from before 1970. Another $3.5 million would provide help to local law enforcement conducting such investigations.
Magnolia Tribune
