George Stinney Jr. was just 14 years old when he was executed by the electric chair in 1944. Decades later, the truth about his innocence and a gross miscarriage of justice finally came to light.
A Child Sentenced to Death
In the 20th century, the youngest person executed in the United States was a 14-year-old Black boy named George Stinney Jr. His tragic story is one of the darkest stains on American legal history—a reminder that the past wasn’t as “humane” as some would like to believe.
From the moment George was accused until his final moments in the electric chair, he held a Bible in his hands, insisting on his innocence.
He had no lawyer who truly defended him.
He had no family by his side.
And worst of all—he had no justice.
The Crime & The Rush to Judgment
George was accused of killing two young white girls: 11-year-old Betty June Binnicker and 7-year-old Mary Emma Thames, whose bodies were found near George’s home in Alcolu, South Carolina.
Within hours of the discovery, George was arrested. He was interrogated without a lawyer or guardian present. There’s no official record of his confession—just the word of the officers who claimed he admitted to the crime.
The trial lasted just two hours.
The jury was all white.
It took them 10 minutes to sentence him to death.
George’s parents had been threatened with violence and were banned from the courtroom. Soon after, they were forced to leave town for their own safety.
George spent the next 81 days alone in a jail cell, 50 miles from home, awaiting his execution. He was never allowed to see his family.
The Execution
On June 16, 1944, George Stinney Jr. was led to the electric chair. He weighed just 95 pounds. His small frame made it difficult for the equipment to even fit him properly. Yet that didn’t stop the executioners.
5,380 volts of electricity surged through his body. He was 14 years old.
He died holding onto a truth the world refused to hear: “I’m innocent.”
The Truth—70 Years Too Late
It wasn’t until 2014, seven decades later, that a South Carolina judge overturned George’s conviction, declaring him wrongfully executed.
Key evidence had been ignored or suppressed.
The murder weapon—a 40-pound beam—would have been physically impossible for George to wield with lethal force.
There was no physical evidence linking him to the crime. No proper defense. No fairness.
It was a sham trial. A fabricated case, fueled by racism and fear.
From Injustice to Inspiration
The story of George Stinney Jr. eventually inspired Stephen King’s novel, The Green Mile—a fictional tale, but one born from very real pain.
His story forces us to confront a bitter truth: cruelty has always existed. The only difference is that now, we can see it more clearly.
Gone are the days when these atrocities were quietly buried. In an age of information, injustice can no longer hide. But that means it’s also our responsibility to never forget and to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.
✊ Let This Be a Reminder
- Justice is not always just.
- The legal system is not always fair.
- And sometimes, a child can pay the ultimate price for the color of his skin.
George Stinney Jr.’s story should be remembered—not only as a tragedy but as a call to action for compassion, reform, and truth.