Source

State Archives of Florida, Series S598

Description

Commutation of J.B. Brown from death by hanging to life in prison.

Date

1902-07-22

Creator

Jennings, William Sherman, 1863-1920

Contributors

Crawford, Henry Clay
McLin, Benjamin E.
Croom, A. C.

Format

Decrees

Coverage

Florida Boom and Progressive Era (1900-1926)

Topic

Politics And Government

Subjects

Brown, J.B.
Capital punishment -- Florida
Florida. Governor (1901-1905 : Jennings)
Jennings, William Sherman, 1863-1920
Judicial error -- Florida
Politicians

Geographic Term

Tallahassee
Leon County

General Note

On December 21, 1901, Governor William S. Jennings signed a death warrant listing Noah J. Tilghman as the man to be hanged. Tilghman's name had been mistakenly written on the warrant. The death warrant was supposed to be issued for J. B. Brown, an African-American man wrongfully convicted of murdering white railroad engineer Harry E. Wesson. After the debacle with the death warrant, Brown was sentenced to life in prison. In 1913, Brown was exonerated.