NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc.

A Letter from the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People

Sir,—Your understanding (not that of article's author—Ed.) or the Martinsville 7 case is, as I understand it, substantially in accord with ours. The NAACP's attack in that case was directed against the discriminatory system of sentencing employed by Virginia and many other southern states. However, although the Association did not make an issue of the guilt or innocence of the men, it has not stated that it is satisfied that they were guilty.

The main point is that the issue which we brought to the courts was that of discriminatory sentencing. We are aware of the allegations that the men had confessed and that there were irregularities in the trial; that the jury was improperly selected and that the men were innocent; and that many petitions were received. However, to my knowledge, the NAACP did not concern itself with any of these aspects of the case. These were matters which were urged by the Civil Rights Congress, a left-wing organisation.

Your understanding that legal procedures were stopped for some time is correct, insofar as stays of execution were granted by various courts while the petitions prepared by NAACP lawyers were being considered by the courts. These petitions were based upon the discriminatory sentencing policy discussed above. Legal proceedings were not stopped by reason of any other petitions or because of any other allegations.

The NAACP is an organisation dedicated to equal justice under the law and it has fought 32 cases to the Supreme Court of the United States, winning 29. in addition to these cases, it has fought and won many hundreds of cases in other courts throughout the United States.

This Association is aware that Communists and their associates attempt to exploit the racial issue, not because they are interested in justice, but because they see in it a source of discontent and dissension. We expressly dissociate ourselves from them and their point of view.