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Man to be cleared of murder 73 years after convictions
Clarence Henderson was found guilty of murdering a white man in Carroll County in 1948 not once, but three times. Each time the conviction was overturned due to lack of evidence, but now the district attorney is asking a judge to finally dismiss the charges.
CARROLL COUNTY, Ga. - Seventy-three years. That’s how long it has taken to clear the name of a Black man convicted of a crime he did not commit. Three all-white juries found Clarence Henderson guilty of murdering a white man in Carroll County in 1948. The Georgia Supreme Court overturned the convictions each time due to lack of evidence. But now the district attorney is asking a judge to finally dismiss the charges.
Brandon Henderson grew up hearing the stories of injustice.
"My mom told me about this story when I was a child," Henderson said.
His great-grandfather Clarence Henderson was convicted decades ago of murdering Carl Stevens, a white man, in Carroll County.
Stevens was an Army veteran, killed while defending his girlfriend from a man accused of trying to rape her. Clarence Henderson was a Black sharecropper. All-white juries found Henderson guilty in three separate trials.
"He had his first trial for one day. He was convicted in one day," Brandon Henderson said.
The state Supreme Court overturned each guilty verdict due to lack of evidence.
"Just to understand someone have to go through such traumatic instances when you know you didn’t do something," Brandon Henderson said.
Clarence Henderson, pictured above, was wrongfully murdering a white man in Carroll County in 1948.
Clarence Henderson spent five years behind bars for a crime he did not commit.
"All the evidence showed he didn’t do it. Again and they still convicted him," Brandon Henderson said.
The county never officially dismissed the charges. Brandon Henderson, from his home in Decatur fought to clear his great-grandfather’s name.
"There’s no reason under the sun for anyone to have that shadow cast upon them or their family," Brandon Henderson said.
The Carroll County District Attorney last month asked a judge to officially, finally dismiss the charge against Clarence Henderson due to insufficient evidence.
"I’m very thankful for the criminal justice system for allowing this to take place, however, it I wish it would’ve happened sooner," Henderson said.
Brandon Henderson says his wishes his great-grandfather were still alive to hear those charges dismissed.
The hearing to dismiss the charges will be held Thursday afternoon at the Carroll County courthouse.