TW: Graphic Image
This is what became of young Emmett Till, the 14 year old young man from Mississippi who was lynched by Roy Bryant and his half brother John William (JW Milam) on August 28th 1955 after Bryant overheard rumours that Till had wolf whistled and made physical advances as well as physical contact with Carolyn Bryant (Roy Bryant’s wife) Tills’ bloated and mutilated body was discovered three days later in the Tallahatchie River. He had also been shot in the head.
Bryant and Milam were found not guilty of kidnapping and murder in September of 1955 by an all white jury. In 1956 in an interview with ‘Look’ Magazine both men admitted to the crime. They served no jail time.
In 2008 Carolyn Bryant admitted to fabricating the events that occurred between herself and Till.
Yet, had we not believed the woman right off the bat, and had stood by the fact that you are innocent until proven guilty, and the burden of proof falls upon the accuser, young Emmet Till would not have had his life cut short.