The Moore's Ford lynchings, or the 1946 Georgia lynching, refer to the brutal murders of four young African Americans by a mob of white men on July 25, 1946.

The incident occurred near Moore's Ford Bridge in Walton and Oconee counties, Georgia. The victims were two married couples: George W. and Mae Murray Dorsey, and Roger and Dorothy Malcolm. The case attracted national attention, prompting large protests in Washington, D.C., and New York City. President Harry Truman created the President's Committee on Civil Rights and introduced anti-lynching legislation in Congress, but it was blocked by the Southern Democratic bloc.

The FBI investigated the case in 1946 but could not find sufficient evidence to charge anyone. The cold case was reopened in the 1990s, but the state of Georgia and the FBI closed their cases in December 2017 without any prosecution.

In this episode of Zone 7, Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum narrates the story of the meeting with ex-KKK imperial wizard, Johnny Lee Clary.  Through a surprising connection with Reverend Watts, a local NAACP leader, Clary experiences a profound transformation, revealing the strength of compassion and resilience in the face of prejudice.

Also shared is the story of a student, Pho, grappling with the reality of law enforcement. Highlighting real-life instances of personal change and the power of love 

 

Show Notes:

• [0:00] Welcome back to Zone 7 with Crime Scene Investigator, Sheryl McCollum. 
• [0:16] Recap of the investigation into the Morse Ford Bridge cold case involving a civil rights crime
• [1:10] In a bold move, Sheryl arranges a meeting with ex-KKK imperial wizard, Johnny Lee Clary, to gather information about the cold case
• [2:00] Sheryl introduces Pho, her student who will be joining in a meeting with Johnny Lee Clary
• [4:10] Unpacking the realities of law enforcement work, where allegiance is to justice rather than personal preferences
• [7:21] At age 14, Johnny Lee Clary joined the clan
• [7:55] Introduction to Reverend Wade Watts via Johnny's story 
• [8:24] Sheryl narrates the surprising story of Johnny Lee’s interaction with Reverend Watts, a tale of confrontation met with unexpected kindness
• [11:24] The memorable first meeting of Johnny Lee and Reverend Watts in 1979 which played a vital role in Johnny’s transformation is recollected 
• [12:40] A change of heart for Johnny 
• [16:51] Drawing from personal experiences, Sheryl underscores the power of love and goodness in overcoming preconceived notions
• [18:00] An uplifting update about Pho’s journey from student to successful bail enforcement officer in Georgia
• [18:55] “You can't do enough to me to make me hate you. I'm gonna love you, and I will pray for you, whether you like it or not.” -Reverend Wade Watts
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Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an Emmy Award winning CSI, a writer for CrimeOnLine, Forensic and Crime Scene Expert for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace, and a CSI for a metro Atlanta Police Department. She is the co-author of the textbook., Cold Case: Pathways to Justice. Sheryl is also the founder and director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, a collaboration between universities and colleges that brings researchers, practitioners, students and the criminal justice community together to advance techniques in solving cold cases and assist families and law enforcement with solvability factors for unsolved homicides, missing persons, and kidnapping cases.  

You can connect and learn more about Sheryl’s work by visiting the CCIRI website https://coldcasecrimes.org

Social Links:

• Email: [email protected]
• Twitter: @ColdCaseTips
• Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

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