Signed Printed Document
by CLARK, Tom C. (1899-1977)
- Used
- Signed
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Galena, Illinois, United States
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About This Item
The U.S. attorney general under Truman (1945-49) was then appointed an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1949-67). Printed DS, 5pp, 9" X 6", [Washington, DC], 3 March 1974. Very good. Single veritcal fold, else near fine. Headed "Supreme Court of the United States" this printed self-cover pamphlet (apparently printed shortly after its 4 May 1964 date) presents Clark's "opinion of the Court" in the case of John Coleman vs. State of Alabama. Near the top of the first page, where it states "Mr. Justice Clark delivered the opinion of the Court," Clark crosses out "Justice Clark" in black fineline, signeing bold and dating it "3/3/74." Coleman was "a Negro convicted and sentenced to death for murdering a white man" and argued "his conviction as violative of the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. He claims that, as a result of long-established practice in the county of his conviction, Negroes were arbitrarily and systematically excluded from sitting on the grand jury which indicted him and the petit jury which convicted him." It goes on, "Petitioner was convicted of the first degree murder of a white mechanic, the apparent motive being robbery. There were no witnesses to the killing and the evidence of guilt was circumstantial, based largely upon expert testimony given by the State;s toxicologist." Much legalese follows, but in the end "the petitioner is now entitled to have his day in court on his allegations of systematic exclusion of Negroes from the grand and petit juries sitting in his case. The judgment is therefore reversed...." As a former law enforcement official, Clark's opinions often supported government prosecutorial practices, although later in his tenure he modified his stance. Whether John Coleman's new trial returned an innocent verdict we do not know. Most unusual in this form.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, ABAA (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 44905
- Title
- Signed Printed Document
- Author
- CLARK, Tom C. (1899-1977)
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Bookseller catalogs
- Autographs; Law;
- Product_type
- Autographs
Terms of Sale
Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, ABAA
Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts accepts most major credit cards and PayPal. Checks are welcome. Institutions will be accommodated as their procedures require. Every effort has been made to describe each book and any defects accurately. If an item proves unsatisfactory for any reason, it may be returned within seven days. We would appreciate a courtesy call if an item is being returned. Member ABAA, ILAB, MWABA, The Manuscript Society.
About the Seller
Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, ABAA
Biblio member since 2005
Galena, Illinois
About Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts, ABAA
Main Street Fine Books & Manuscripts has been serving book lovers, collectors and institutions since 1991. Our inventory of quality out-of-print books spans 50 subjects, while the extensive autograph holdings have a decidedly historical bent, reflecting personages from every field of human endeavor.
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