Final answer:
Edgar Ray Killen, a former Ku Klux Klan leader, was convicted in 2005 for the 1964 murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner in Philadelphia, Mississippi. These delayed convictions emphasized the systemic racism in the judicial system and urged the necessity of the civil rights movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the most notorious crimes of the Civil Rights era was the murder of three civil rights workers, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, in Philadelphia, Mississippi. This event contributed to the national outrage and support for the civil rights movement. After the disappearance of the volunteers in June 1964, it was not until years later that convictions would be secured. Despite the FBI's investigation—codenamed MIBURN (Mississippi Burning)—and the discovery of the slain workers, the state of Mississippi refused to prosecute the killers. It wasn't until 2005 that the state convicted Edgar Ray Killen, a former Klan leader, of manslaughter for orchestrating the murders.
The lack of immediate justice for crimes like these highlighted the deep-seated racism that African Americans faced, especially in the South. These convictions shone a spotlight on a judicial system that often provided poor legal counsel, relied on all-white juries, and failed to enforce the due process rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. In a broader sense, these events underscored the importance and urgency of the civil rights movement, prompting more Americans to join in the struggle for equality and justice.