The Klu Klux Klan member convicted of murdering four little girls in a church bombing in Birmingham, AL will go before a parole board August 3rd. Thomas E. Blanton Jr. was convicted of the 1963 bombing of the Sixteenth Baptist Church Street Baptist Church. The bombing killed four little girls in the church: Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Carol Denise McNair.
Blanton was not convicted until 2001.
State and federal investigators reopened the cases and found Blanton along with Robert Chambliss and Bobby Frank Cherry, guilty. Cherry and Chambliss have both died in prison.
Spike Lee debuted 4 Little Girls in 1997, a documentary about the tragic bombing which later earned an Oscar nomination for best documentary. President Obama posthumously awarded the victims with a Congressional Gold Meda in 2013 with their families present.
Many are outraged at the thought of him getting parole and a change.org petition was started to keep Blanton behind bars. The petition reads in part, “15 years in prison is not punishment enough for perpetrating a hate crime that cost four girls their lives.”
Not only is the community refusing to let Blanton step foot outside of a jail cell, former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones isn’t either. Jones prosecuted the case and although Blanton is technically eligible for parole, Jones will be at the hearing to make sure he doesn’t get it.
“He has shown no remorse. He’s shown no acceptance of responsibility,” Jones told AL.com. “He has not reached out to the families or the community to show acceptance of responsibility. I think that’s an important part of parole consideration and it’s completely lacking in this case.”
Friends and family of the four little girls also plan to be at the hearing to the release. Sarah Collins Rudolph, the sister of Addie Collins, is one of them. Injured by the same blast that killed her sister she plans on making a statement before the board speaking out against his release.
Blanton is serving four life sentences for murder. Under an Alabama state law, those serving a life sentence for murder are eligible for parole after serving 15 years.
UPDATE: An Alabama parole board has denied release for the 16th Street Baptist Church bomber. Thomas Blanton will continue to serve out his four life sentences. Family members of the four victims from the bombing and the former prosecutor in the case all made statements asking the board to deny the request. This was Blanton’s first chance at parole and at this time there has not been a date given for when he may return before the parole board.
Line of people waiting to get in to the Thomas Blanton parole hearing. #WVTM13 pic.twitter.com/vWsnz2BMfh
— Jon Paepcke (@JonWVTM13) August 3, 2016
#ThomasBlanton hearing Sarah Collins Rudolph in front in blue and Frmr US Atty Doug Jones and Brandon Falls 2nd row pic.twitter.com/ggLr0e76gm
— Kent Faulk (@krfaulk) August 3, 2016
