April 13, 2010
Supreme Court Lecture Series to Feature OSU Professor
A revenge killing of a priest and the resulting sensational trial in Birmingham, Ala., in 1921 will be the topic April 27 at the Supreme Court of Ohio’s third Forum on the Law lecture.
Sharon Davies, the John C. Elam/Vorys Sater Distinguished Professor of Law at the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, will discuss her book “Rising Road: A True Tale of Love, Race and Religion in America.”
In the book, she recounts how Methodist minister Edwin Stephenson murdered Fr. James Coyle on the front porch of the Catholic rectory in August 1921, shortly after learning Coyle performed the marriage ceremony between Stephenson’s 18-year-old daughter and a Puerto Rican.
Stephenson had long hated Coyle, believing he lured his daughter into the Catholic Church months earlier. The defense made issues of the victim’s religion and bridegroom’s race at trial.
After confessing to the crime, Stephenson hired Hugo Black to lead his defense. Black later joined the Ku Klux Klan, which secretly contributed funds for the minister’s defense. Years later, Black was named to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he was a staunch civil rights advocate.
During the lecture, Davies will discuss the extent to which legal outcomes reflect society’s sentiments and beliefs.
Davies practiced for five years in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York. A specialist in criminal law and procedure, she has published widely in prominent law journals and served as chair of the Criminal Justice Section of the Association of American Law Schools.
The American Constitution Society and the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education are co-sponsors of the program.
Registration for the event will begin at 5 p.m., followed by remarks at 5:30 p.m. in the Courtroom, and a reception at 6:30 p.m.
The lecture and reception are open to the public, but reservations are required. To reserve your seat, R.S.V.P. to events@sc.ohio.gov or 614.387.9267 by April 23.
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.