Final answer:
The Sleepy Lagoon case was a significant legal battle involving the wrongful conviction of young Mexican-American men in the 1940s. Activists and figures like Anthony Quinn and Cruz Reynoso were involved in the Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee, which helped in securing acquittals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Sleepy Lagoon case refers to a famous legal trial from the early 1940s in Los Angeles, involving a group of young Mexican-American men who were wrongfully convicted of murder. After the trial, a broad-based committee formed to defend the convicted men, which included prominent figures like actor Anthony Quinn and future California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso. This case became a symbol of racial injustice and was a precursor to the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. The Sleepy Lagoon Defense Committee worked tirelessly to overturn the convictions, securing appellate court review and eventual acquittal of the defendants. The involvement of activists and intellectuals was crucial in bringing attention to the case and the underlying issues of discrimination against the Latino community.