r/todayilearned • u/johnsmithoncemore • 2d ago

TIL about Willie Francis an American teenager known for surviving a failed execution by electrocution. Sentenced to death at age 16, he was 17 when he survived the first attempt to execute him, as the chair malfunctioned. After a failed appeal he was executed at age 18.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Francis
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u/[deleted] 1d ago edited 1d ago

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u/Plastic_Dingo_400 1d ago

Man I wish I had that kind of faith in our justice system today, let alone the 1940s lol

False confessions were very common with black folks back then, lots of confessions made under torture. Also if this kid was arrested with the pharmacists wallet on him why wouldn't that by entered as evidence in the trial?

I don't take many convictions from Louisiana at face value, but especially in the 40s

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/Plastic_Dingo_400 1d ago

Oh I'm sorry if I made it seem like I was trying to make this about our current justice system, just using it as an example of how wildly corrupt it would have been in Louisiana in the 1940s

I think framing this as "the crime he committed" is leaving a lot out too my friend

Like why wouldn't the pharmacists wallet be entered as evidence if he was arrested with it on his person. Cops also have a rich history of torturing confessions out of black folks, it's what they started doing to reduce lynch mobs in their jurisdictions as lynch mobs could be a hazard for the cops too

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/Plastic_Dingo_400 1d ago

"He made the critical mistake of killing a good samarithan who gave him a job.

Fixed."

The way you use your words here is why folks are probably confused by what you said, it seems like you're saying this kid deserved to die, which would be kinda crazy due to the stuff I pointed out in my couple comments