WEBVTT - IDKMYDE: Martinsville 7

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<v Speaker 1>On today's episode. If I didn't know, maybe you didn't either.

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<v Speaker 1>I have a question. How many of y'all knew that?

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<v Speaker 1>In nineteen fifty one, the United States pulled off the

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<v Speaker 1>largest mass execution for a single crime in modern history. YEP,

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<v Speaker 1>Seven black men in Virginia gone, just like that. They

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<v Speaker 1>were called the Martinsville seventh. I didn't know. Maybe you didn't.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't know. Maybe I didn't know. I didn't know.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe you didn't I did. I didn't know. I didn't know.

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<v Speaker 1>I didn't know. Now I know what you're thinking. Damn

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<v Speaker 1>what they do? Well, they were accused of raping a

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<v Speaker 1>white woman. There's some debate about whether they were guilty

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<v Speaker 1>or not. Some folks like, nah, they did it, and

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<v Speaker 1>there's others like, but where's the evidence? Though? Either way,

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<v Speaker 1>the real crime here was how fast the system moved

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<v Speaker 1>to snatch their lives. Let me break it down for you.

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<v Speaker 1>These men were arrested, interrogated with no lawyers, just some

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<v Speaker 1>cops breathing down the next screaming at him like sign here,

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<v Speaker 1>and when you got no rights, no support, and you're terrified,

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<v Speaker 1>you'll sign anything, confessions, check evidence, crickets. Then they get

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<v Speaker 1>dragged in front of all white juries in a segregated courtroom.

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<v Speaker 1>Y'all know what that meant. It was over before it

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<v Speaker 1>even started. The trials were done in days. They got

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<v Speaker 1>sentenced to death faster and you can uber eat a

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<v Speaker 1>four piece Supreme Combo from Bojangles. Appeals ignored, and in

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen fifty one, Virginia said next and put them in

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<v Speaker 1>the electric chair. Seven men, two days? Can we pause

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<v Speaker 1>for a second? Two days? Men, I've seen people wait

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<v Speaker 1>longer for an oil change. Now fast forward to nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>eighty nine. We all know about the Central Park five right,

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<v Speaker 1>Five black and Latino teenagers accused of attacking a white

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<v Speaker 1>woman in New York. The current president of the United

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<v Speaker 1>States took out a full page add on them. They

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<v Speaker 1>were interrogated the same way. No lawyers, no parents, just

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<v Speaker 1>a room full of cops, like write this down if

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<v Speaker 1>you ever want to see sunlight again, buddy. They confessed

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<v Speaker 1>to crimes that they didn't commit, got thrown in prison,

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<v Speaker 1>and it took thirteen years and DNA evidence to clear

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<v Speaker 1>their names. But the Martinsville seven, they didn't get those

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<v Speaker 1>thirteen years. They didn't get Netflix documentaries or avaduvine directing

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<v Speaker 1>their story, they got two years, a sham trial, and

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<v Speaker 1>an electric chair. Seventy years later, though, seventy years later,

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<v Speaker 1>Virginia was like, oh my bad and pardoned them. Pardoned

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<v Speaker 1>them after their families had already lost everything, Like what's

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<v Speaker 1>a pardon gonna do? Give them free Wi Fi in

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<v Speaker 1>the afterlife. And here's the kicker. Some people still argue

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<v Speaker 1>about their guilt, like, well, maybe they did it okay,

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<v Speaker 1>but even if they did, seven death sentences, trials rushed

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<v Speaker 1>like a thirty minute lunch break, where's the humanity? The

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<v Speaker 1>Martinsville seven and the Central Park five are two sides

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<v Speaker 1>of the same dirty coin black men sacrificed on the

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<v Speaker 1>altar of white. But be ye not confused. These stories

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<v Speaker 1>ain't just about the past. They're about what's still broken

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<v Speaker 1>in the present. And I didn't know. Maybe you didn't either.

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<v Speaker 1>Listen up, man, if you love this series, you can

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<v Speaker 1>now listen to us every single week starting in March,

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<v Speaker 1>for all types of things that I didn't know. Maybe

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<v Speaker 1>you didn't either. Did you know snails have two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>teeth at least and they're all on their tongue? Or

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<v Speaker 1>be Rudy in the Cosby Show, but then Keisha Knight

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<v Speaker 1>Pulliam pulled up and sprinkle some black girl magic on

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<v Speaker 1>didn't either. Make sure you're following the show on the

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<v Speaker 1>Our Heart app so that you can hear more. Okay, Bye,