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CNN Live Today

Cherry Guilty

Aired May 22, 2002 - 14:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The verdict is in on Bobby Frank Cherry. And that verdict is guilty. At 71 years of age, an automatic life sentence now for Bobby Frank Cherry. To Gary Tuchman now, who was inside when that verdict was read. Gary, hello.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The verdict just came in a short time ago. Former Ku Klux Klan member, Bobby Frank Cherry, is a killer, 39 years after a four girls died in a church bombing, during the heart of the civil rights battle here in the United States, but particularly here in Birmingham, Alabama.

This man has been found guilty by a 12-member jury, guilty of first-degree murder. And it's a mandatory sentence with life in prison. After Cherry was read his guilty verdict by the foreperson of the jury, he was asked by the judge if he had anything to say. Bobby Frank Cherry, 71 years old, then pointed to prosecutors.

He hasn't spoken to anyone during this trial. He did not testify in his own defense. He has not talked to reporters. We asked him questions because he's been free on bond. But he said, when the judge asked him that, he pointed to the prosecution, said -- quote -- "the whole bunch lied all the way through this thing." He then said, "I don't know why I'm going to jail for nothing. I didn't do anything."

But the jury clearly felt differently. He is accused of participating in a bombing at the 16th Street Baptist church, just a few blocks away from where I'm standing. A church that's still in operation. This was just days after schools in Birmingham were desegregated.

And there were many people in this city, particularly members of the Ku Klux Klan, who were very angry about that. That church was used as a center for civil rights activity. That day there was a Sunday school lesson going on in the church for many of the children who were there. The lesson was called "To Love and Forgive."

Jurors were given information during the trial. They came back after seven hours of deliberation and have found Bobby Frank Cherry guilty. Two other men have also been found guilty, one in 1977, of this bombing. He died in prison eight years later. Another last year, who's serving a life sentence.

Bobby Frank Cherry is the last living being who will be tried for this case. Three men responsible for the bombing of four young girls almost 39 years ago. Bill, back to you.

HEMMER: Gary, we mentioned an automatic life sentence. But go back almost 40 years to 1963. Why was he considered a suspect early on? And then what happened in the months and years after that that allowed him to essentially stay free for almost four decades?

TUCHMAN: Bill, Bobby Frank Cherry has been questioned in this case since days after it happened. He was a suspect right away. Birmingham authorities thought they were going to indict him immediately.

But what they say the main reason this case did not proceed is then-director of the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover, who no one would consider a big friend of the civil rights movement, decided there wasn't enough evidence in the case. So the case was dropped for more than a decade.

It wasn't until the '70s that it picked up steam again, with local officials here in Birmingham starting it. There was a federal grand jury that met, but eventually it was state charges that led to all three of these men being convicted in this case.

HEMMER: Gary, thanks. Gary Tuchman again in Birmingham. The verdict is in. It is guilty at 71 years of age. Bobby Frank Cherry will spend the remainder of his life behind bars.

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