Delaware County judge vacates murder charge for teen executed in 1931
"It's pretty obvious that this was racial profiling at its worst," said defense attorney Robert Keller Monday.
MEDIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- An egregious injustice was finally revisited in a Delaware County, Pennsylvania court on Monday, more than 90 years later.
"It's pretty obvious that this was racial profiling at its worst," said defense attorney Robert Keller.
Sixteen-year-old Alexander McClay Williams was accused of brutally stabbing his teacher, Vida Robare, at the Glen Mills School back in 1930.
Attorneys say the victim, the judge and the jury were all white. The teen was executed six months after he was convicted.
"He was brow beaten into giving a confession and he was summarily tried and executed without even an appeal being filed," said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.
Stollsteimer joined the family's attorney in filing a motion for a new trial, which was granted. The presiding judge vacated the murder charge Monday and exonerated Williams.
Alexander Williams's only living sibling, his sister Susie Carter, testified surrounded by the support of her family hopeful for an exoneration.
"I am happy. I am happy," Carter said. "There's no way they can bring him back, but let his name be cleared of all that. He did not do it. There's no way you can stab somebody 37 times and not have any blood on you."
Alexander Williams' attorney at the time was William Ridley, the first African American member of the Delaware County Bar.
Ridley's great-grandson, Dr. Sam Lemon, says he had the deck stacked against him, so he made it his mission to finish what his great-grandfather started decades ago.
"This was a case of lethal domestic violence dressed up to look like a race murder," said Lemon. "This is extraordinary what's happening today and I hope it opens up a new chapter of judicial history in Delaware County."
While a new trial was granted by the judge, Action News is told there won't be one because Alexander McClay Williams is no longer alive to defend himself and there is no more existing evidence.
But the family celebrated the judge presiding over the case vacating the murder charge, exonerating Alexander Williams.
