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Twice Electrocuted, Once to Die: The Trial and Execution of Willie Francis

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Manage episode 497194206 series 3402712
Content provided by Mollye Barrows. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Mollye Barrows or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

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A poor teenager from Louisiana had few options when he was charged with the murder of a local, prominent pharmacist in St. Martinville in 1946.

In a town full of secrets, Willie Francis was the perfect scapegoat.

He couldn’t even afford the defense attorney who eventually took over his case and his dad paid with two sacks of potatoes.

Willie was convicted after a quick trial with little evidence, but executing him for the capital crime proved to be harder than finding him guilty of it.

No parish wanted to be known for housing the electric chair, so it travelled to wherever the convicted convict sentenced to die was located.

Willie was strapped to so-called “Gruesome Gertie” by an intoxicated guard and an even drunker trustee inmate who botched the execution and Willie survived being electrocuted - the first time.

The mistake opened the door for an appeal, but the same system that unfairly charged and convicted the teen was not quick to admit any mistakes.

Join us for more on this mis execution of justice in the next episode of Gulf Coast Confidential, “Twice Electrocuted, Once to Die: the trial and execution of Willie Francis.”

Support the show

  continue reading

144 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 497194206 series 3402712
Content provided by Mollye Barrows. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Mollye Barrows or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Send us a text

A poor teenager from Louisiana had few options when he was charged with the murder of a local, prominent pharmacist in St. Martinville in 1946.

In a town full of secrets, Willie Francis was the perfect scapegoat.

He couldn’t even afford the defense attorney who eventually took over his case and his dad paid with two sacks of potatoes.

Willie was convicted after a quick trial with little evidence, but executing him for the capital crime proved to be harder than finding him guilty of it.

No parish wanted to be known for housing the electric chair, so it travelled to wherever the convicted convict sentenced to die was located.

Willie was strapped to so-called “Gruesome Gertie” by an intoxicated guard and an even drunker trustee inmate who botched the execution and Willie survived being electrocuted - the first time.

The mistake opened the door for an appeal, but the same system that unfairly charged and convicted the teen was not quick to admit any mistakes.

Join us for more on this mis execution of justice in the next episode of Gulf Coast Confidential, “Twice Electrocuted, Once to Die: the trial and execution of Willie Francis.”

Support the show

  continue reading

144 episodes

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