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to schools with little nigger kids。 Good people； Sam。 We'll pick twelve of 'em； put 'em in the jury box； and explain to 'em how these stinkin' Jews have encouraged all this civil rights nonsense。 Trust me； Sam； it'll be easy。〃 With that； Clovis leaned across the shaky table； patted Sam on the arm； and said； 〃Trust me； Sam； I've done it before。〃
Later that day； Sam was handcuffed； surrounded by Greenville city policemen； and led to a waiting patrol car。 Between the jail and the car； he had his picture taken by a small army of photographers。 Another group of these assertive people were waiting at the courthouse when Sam arrived with his entourage。
He appeared before the municipal judge with his new lawyer； the Honorable Clovis
Brazelton； who waived the preliminary hearing and performed a couple of other quiet and routine legal maneuvers。 Twenty minutes after he'd left the jail； Sam was back。 Clovis promised to return in a few days to start plotting strategy； then he wandered outside and performed admirably for the reporters。
* * *
It took a full month for the media frenzy to subside in Greenville。 Both Sam Cayhall and Jeremiah Dogan were indicted for capital murder on May 5； 1967。 The local district attorney proclaimed loudly that he would seek the death penalty。 The name of Rollie Wedge was never mentioned。 The police and FBI had no idea he existed。
Clovis； now representing both defendants； successfully argued for a change of venue； and on September 4； 1967； the trial began in Nettles County； two hundred miles from Greenville。 It turned into a circus。 The Klan set up camp on the front lawn of the courthouse and staged noisy rallies almost on the hour。 They shipped in Klansmen from other states； even had a list of guest speakers。 Sam Cayhall and Jeremiah Dogan were seized as symbols of white supremacy； and their beloved names were called a thousand times by their hooded admirers。
The press watched and waited。 The courtroom Was filled with reporters and journalists； so the less fortunate were forced to wait under the shade trees on the front lawn。 They watched the Klansmen and listened to the speeches； and the more they watched and photographed the longer the speeches became。
Inside the courtroom； things were going smoothly for Cayhall and Dogan。 Brazelton worked his magic and seated twelve white patriots； as he preferred to call them； on the jury； then began poking rather significant holes in the prosecution's case。 Most importantly； the evidence was circumstantial … no one actually saw Sam Cayhall plant the bomb。 Clovis preached this loudly in his opening statement； and it found its mark。 Cayhall was actually employed by Dogan； who'd sent him to Greenville on an errand； and he just happened to be near the Kramer building at a most unfortunate moment。 Clovis almost cried when he thought of those two precious little boys。
The dynamite fuse in the trunk had probably been left there by its previous owner； a Mr。 Carson Jenkins； a dirt contractor from Meridian。 Mr。 Carson Jenkins testified that he handled dynamite all the time in his line of work； and that he evidently had simply left the fuse in the trunk when he sold the car to Dogan。 Mr。 Carson Jenkins was a Sunday school teacher； a quiet； hardworking salt…of…the…earth little man who was pletely believable。 He was also a member of the Ku Klux Klan； but the FBI didn't know it。 Clovis orchestrated this testimony without a flaw。
The fact that Cayhall's car had been left at the truck stop in Cleveland was never discovered by the police or FBI。 During his first phone call from jail； he had instructed his wife to get his son； Eddie Cayhall； and drive to Cleveland immediately for the car。 This was a significant piece of luck for the defense。
But the strongest argument presented by Clovis Brazelton was simply that no one could prove that his clients conspired to do anything； and how in the world can you； the jurors of Nettles County； send these two men to their deaths？
After four days of trial； the jury retired to deliberate。 Clovis guaranteed his clients an acquittal。 The prosecution was almost certain of one。 The Kluckers smelled victory； and increased the tempo on the front lawn。
There were no acquittals； and there were no convictions。 Remarkably； two of the jurors boldly dug in their heels and pressed to convict。 After a day and a half of deliberations； the jury reported to the judge that it was hopelessly deadlocked。 A mistrial was declared； and Sam Cayhall went home for the first time in five months。
* * *
The retrial took place six months later in Wilson County； another rural area four hours from Greenville and a hundred miles from the site of the first trial。 There were plaints of Klan harassment of prospective jurors in the first trial； so the judge； for reasons that were never made clear； changed venue to an area crawling with Kluckers and their sympathizers。 The jury again was all…white and certainly non…Jewish。 Clovis told the same stories with the same punch lines。 Mr。 Carson Jenkins told the same lies。
The prosecution changed strategy a bit； to no avail。 The district attorney dropped the capital charges and pressed for a conviction for murder only。 No death penalty； and the jury could； if it so chose； find Cayhall and Dogan guilty of manslaughter； a much lighter charge but a conviction nonetheless。
The second trial had something new。 Marvin Kramer sat in a wheelchair by the front row and glared at the jurors for three days。 Ruth had tried to watch the first trial； but went home to Greenville where she was hospitalized again for emotional problems。 Marvin had been in and out of surgery since the bombing； and his doctors would not allow him to watch the show in Nettles County。
For the most part； the jurors could not stand to look at him。 They kept their eyes away from the spectators； and； for jurors； paid remarkable attention to the witnesses。 However； one young lady； Sharon Culpepper； mother of twin boys； could not help herself。 She glanced at Marvin repeatedly； and many times their eyes locked。 He pleaded with her for justice。
Sharon Culpepper was the only one of the twelve who initially voted to convict。 For two days she was verbally abused and harangued by her peers。 They called her names and made her cry； but she doggedly held on。
The second trial ended with a jury hung eleven to one。 The judge declared a mistrial； and sent everybody home。 Marvin Kramer returned to Greenville； then to Memphis for more surgery。 Clovis Brazelton made a spectacle of himself with the press。 The district attorney made no promises of a new trial。 Sam Cayhall went quietly to Clanton with a solemn vow to avoid any more dealings with Jeremiah Dogan。 And the Imperial Wizard himself made a triumphant return to Meridian where he boasted to his people that the battle for white supremacy had just begun； good had defeated evil； and on and on。
The name of Rollie Wedge had been uttered only once。 During a lunch break in the second trial； Dogan whispered to Cayhall that a message had been received from the kid。 The messenger was a stranger who spoke to Dogan's wife in a hallway outside the courtroom。