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The Execution of Lena Baker

By TChris, Section Death Penalty
Posted on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 07:25:27 AM EST
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by TChris

Death penalty supporters who confidently proclaim that the truely innocent are never executed should consider the case of Lena Baker. Here's what John Cole Vodicka, director of Georgia's Prison & Jail Project, says about the circumstances of her 1945 execution.

"This black woman was wrongfully prosecuted and executed because she was defending herself against a white man who repeatedly sexually abused her," Cole Vodicka said. "Lena Baker was tried without proper legal representation."

Vodicka said Baker killed a white man in March 1945, who tried to rape her. He said Baker final words were, “I did it in self-defense, or I would have killed myself..." Baker was convicted by an all white male jury in a one-day trial.

Lena Baker is the only woman to die in Georgia's electric chair. She was honored at a memorial on Saturday.

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    The Execution of Lena Baker | 15 comments (15 topical)
    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 08:09:18 AM EST
    This is a terrible story but how is it relevant to today?

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#2)
    by wishful on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 08:18:15 AM EST
    LCA, are you a truly innocent heart asking a question because you really want to understand something that you haven't yet come to terms with, or is your question loaded?

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 08:36:09 AM EST
    No, it's not a loaded question. It just seems that many of the circumstances this woman faced (all white male jury, more prevalent racism of the time, black woman killing a white man) are not as applicable/condemming today. Maybe I'm ignorant but I would hope she would at least have a much better chance at justice if the crime was committed today.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#4)
    by Che's Lounge on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 08:44:01 AM EST
    It is inspiring to see a website scrutinize it's own profession so aggressively. This to me is much more effective in regulating ethics within a profession. I've always felt that there needs to be more aggressive oversight of professional ethics within a given profession. The alternative is to have outside regulation and oversight, which invariably leads to wrongful accusations and heavyhanded reactive politics that only degrades the quality of the profession.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#5)
    by wishful on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 09:10:33 AM EST
    LCA, I agree that we always need hope. Without that, all is lost. I fear that the situation has not improved to the extent that our justice system can be trusted to mete out justice. Maybe we do the best we can, but I personally don't believe we are setting the bar reasonably high. My particular interest is sentencing issues, but I am just an interested citizen, not in any way involved professionally. My reading suggests that we are far from the system that we would want. Put yourself in the place of a mistakenly accused poor person, not sympathetic by way of being in the majority or correct religious faith or family and friends, etc. Your chances for a just outcome are negatively impacted by a quest for the something besides the truth. We need to strive mightily for true justice, because diminishing one of us diminishes all of us.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 10:14:30 AM EST
    What 1945?, hey how about my 16 year old sister who was raped beaten and Left for dead in a L.A. Park 35 years ago, 5 mexicans, no one was every tried for that little racists attack, buy maybe she was a white girl and that wasn't 60 year ago, and yes this woman 60 years ago was wrongly murdered by the state and its evil as hell but how many evils have been doon in the name of civil rights? and who is controlling who and why and to what ends? a nation is made by its people, and who is are government really working for?

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#7)
    by Dadler on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 10:30:21 AM EST
    earth to fred. i had a foster brother stabbed to death about twenty-five years ago. we all knew who did it, but there was no evidence and the guy just clammed up and said nothing. and he got away with murder. it's terrible, but it happens. and you tell me? what legacy of wretchedness IS there from the civil rights movement? you'll have to clarify a little for me, i don't at all understand what you're implying.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#8)
    by Rori on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 12:03:41 PM EST
    Why can't this story just be THIS story? What is with the one-up manship? I am glad they had a memorial for her.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 12:21:40 PM EST
    What is with the one-up manship?
    i think it has been accurately named theBlogWars, take no prisoners, no surrender, last one posted is the winner.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#10)
    by jondee on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 01:00:51 PM EST
    Guaranteed some of the executions that dubya and his trusty side-kick expedited - hangin days a real crowd pleaser - will come up for more careful scrutiny one of these years. That is,if the records arnt all lost in an electrical fire,typhoon,or spirited away by swift-vet patrons.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Mar 07, 2005 at 02:47:03 PM EST
    No, it's not a loaded question. It just seems that many of the circumstances this woman faced (all white male jury, more prevalent racism of the time, black woman killing a white man) are not as applicable/condemming today. Maybe I'm ignorant but I would hope she would at least have a much better chance at justice if the crime was committed today. Are you really suggesting that we have somehow become perfect in the last 60 years?

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 08, 2005 at 10:49:36 AM EST
    LCA, Case in point: Rodney King. Yes, it wasn't King himself who was on trial, but nonetheless you can see the injustice in having a black man's highly controversial case moved from his community to an all-white suburb. The end result was an acquittal of the police officers accused of beating King by an all-white jury. And this wasn't 60 years ago - try 13. Injustices like this still happen and the Baker memorial serves to remind us of that fact. There's your relevance.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 08, 2005 at 01:16:43 PM EST
    OD - I never said things were perfect by any means, I'm not that ignorant. Pocketfluff - point taken. The reminder is a good one. There will always be flaws in the justice system. All we can do is hope to limit and learn from them.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 08, 2005 at 07:00:56 PM EST
    It is 60 years ago. The world has changed. I don't see any relevance to today's world. They probably give her a medal if she is tried today.

    Re: The Execution of Lena Baker (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 12:52:36 PM EST
    If you want to know the facts and the truth about Lena Baker, read The Lena Baker Story by Lela Phillips. It is an historical account of the time period, the killing and the trial. Check amazon.com or books a million, etc.

    The Execution of Lena Baker | 15 comments (15 topical)