Killen Convicted

Today, 41 years to the day that his victims were beaten and shot to death, Edgar Ray Killen was convicted of manslaughter. Killen had been accused of rounding up KKK members to attack and kill three poll workers. He is the first and only man involved in the slayings to be tried by the state of Mississippi. In 1967, seven others were convicted in federal court of violating the victims' civil rights but Killen was acquitted after a member of the jury refused to convict a preacher.

Killen will serve a maximum of 20 years in prison. Already 80 and ailing, he will likely never take a free breath again. Justice delayed is still justice served. But this is a man that should have gone away a long time ago.