The Colby Echo

Issue date: 2/16/07 Section: News & Features

Media Credit: File Photo Jerry Mitchell at the 2006 Lovejoy Convocation in September

2006 Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award winner Jerry Mitchell has yet again uncovered a Civil Rights murder case long after it had been forgotten by the legal system. Thanks to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reporter, reputed Klansman James Seale now faces charges he had avoided in 1964 for the abduction and murder of two African-American teenagers.

Mitchell is no stranger to bringing criminals to justice who for years had walked the streets as free men. He earned the Lovejoy prize for journalistic fearlessness in the name of freedom by conducting research and writing articles that led to the convictions of four Klu Klux Klan members who had escaped the consequences of their hateful crimes for 25 years. His work reopened investigations into church bombings and the murders of NAACP workers Medgar Evers and Vernon Dahmer among others.

In an interview with the Echo, Mitchell said the fact that Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore were killed on federal property (Homochitto National Forrest) allowed the government to reopen the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation told Mitchell that all the files on the case had been destroyed. They had not. Mitchell's researcher found the records and Seale was to face his charges after the Echo's press time.

In 2000, Mitchell interviewed Seale and asked if he had anything to do with the crime. Seale replied, "I ain't in jail, am I?"

Still, Mitchell feels that the feds dragged their feet. "The case kind of languished," he said, referring to the gap between Seale's comments and his conviction. "I thought they should have gone forward with it at that time. They didn't go forward with it until 2005 when the brother of Charles Eddie Moore met with a U.S. attorney." Thomas Moore, the victim's brother, persisted and the federal authorities renewed the investigation.

Suffice to say that Mitchell is not resting on the laurels. Having won not only Colby's nationally renowned journalistic distinction but also numerous others, Mitchell noted how cluttered his mantle has become. With all the awards taking up space, he said "it's kind of getting embarrassing. I may have to pack them all up."

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