[JURIST] A federal jury convicted former Ku Klux Klan (KKK) [JURIST news archive] member James Ford Seale [Wikipedia profile] Thursday of two counts of kidnapping resulting in death and one count conspiracy for Seale's role in the kidnapping and death of two 19-year old teens in Mississippi in 1964. Seale, who was previously arrested on suspicion of kidnapping Henry Dee and Charles Moore, later found dead in the Mississippi River, was released in 1964 due to a lack of evidence. Federal prosecutors revived the case, largely relying on the testimony of Charles Marcus Edwards, a former fellow KKK member who received immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony. Seale, now 71 years old, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison at his sentencing, which is scheduled on August 24.
The Seale case is one of several recently re-opened civil rights-era cases [US News backgrounder]. Authorities reopened Seale's case following the 2005 conviction of Edgar Ray Killen [JURIST report] for the 1964 deaths of three civil rights activists. AP has more.