{"id":193,"date":"2010-10-22T17:25:10","date_gmt":"2010-10-22T17:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.cos.ucf.edu\/?p=193"},"modified":"2010-10-22T17:25:10","modified_gmt":"2010-10-22T17:25:10","slug":"investigative-journalist-visits-ucf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/","title":{"rendered":"Investigative journalist visits UCF"},"content":{"rendered":"

The efforts of one investigative journalist have helped put four Klansmen behind bars for killings committed during the civil rights era.<\/p>\n

Jerry Mitchell, a reporter for The Clarion-Ledger<\/em> in Jackson, Miss., and the recipient of more than 30 national awards for his investigative work, told a UCF audience Tuesday night how he got his hands on sealed documents, spoke with suspects and helped unearth evidence in some of the killings of the civil rights era.<\/p>\n

During the speech he gave in the Pegasus Ballroom on Oct. 19, Mitchell said the movie \u201cMississippi Burning\u201d inspired him to look further into the old civil rights cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was unaware of the violence that took place,\u201d he said. \u201cIt just shocked me. Here were these three kids that were killed by more than 20 Klansmen and nobody had ever been prosecuted for murder in that case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitchell said he saw the movie in 1989 when he was 29 years old. \"\"<\/a>Since then, authorities have reexamined 29 killings and made 22 convictions.<\/p>\n

His work helped lead to the convictions of Byron De La Beckwith, for the 1963 assassination of Medgar Evers; Sam Bowers, for the firebombing of Vernon Dahmer in
\n1966; Bobby Cherry for the Birmingham church bombing that killed four girls; and Edgar Ray Killen for the murders of three civil rights workers in 1964.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most amazing thing has not been the convictions, but the racial reconciliations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Michael Gilmore, a pending journalism major, said he came to the speech to learn more about investigative reporting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to know what obstacles he came into and how he was able to get all the documents that were sealed from the public,\u201d the 20-year-old said.<\/p>\n

Other audience members also had asked how he got his sources (many of them suspects in murder cases) to continue speaking to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept feeding them,\u201d Mitchell said with a laugh.<\/p>\n

People are usually more than willing to talk about themselves, he said. Some of the best quotes he\u2019s ever gotten were not to questions he asked, but rather were just given to him by the sources, Mitchell said.<\/p>\n

Mitchell said he also made friends with people who had access to the sealed documents so that they would leak information to him.<\/p>\n

However, his reporting of incriminating quotes and information has made him a target, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has not been real popular,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re not throwing a parade for me in Mississippi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mitchell has been sent threatening letters and has been a target of intimidation. Mitchell said sources have threatened him and once an editor didn\u2019t want him to write the stories.<\/p>\n

But, Mitchell said because of his dedication, he will not allow anyone to intimidate him. He related the threats he\u2019s received to being bullied on the playground.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not gonna be bullied into not doing something,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mitchell said he\u2019s often asked why he doesn\u2019t just leave \u201cthese old guys\u201d alone since the crimes were committed over 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat they don\u2019t realize, these were young killers who just happened to get old,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Robert Chandler, director of the Nicholson School of Communication, said Mitchell was invited to speak because he represents what someone can do with a degree in journalism.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not just reported history, he\u2019s changed it,\u201d Chandler said.<\/p>\n

Mitchell recently received the Ralph McGill Medal for Courage. He was also awarded a MacArthur Foundation genius grant, Sigma Delta Chi Award for Public Service and the George Polk Award twice, among others.<\/p>\n

Mitchell\u2019s speech was part of the College of Sciences\u2019 Distinguished Speakers Series. The College of Sciences, the Nicholson School of Communication, the UCF Alumni Association, and UCF News and Information sponsored the event.<\/p>\n

-Article by\u00a0Samantha Dilday, a UCF journalism student<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The efforts of one investigative journalist have helped put four Klansmen behind bars for killings committed during the civil rights era.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[38,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-breaking-news","category-events"],"yoast_head":"\nInvestigative journalist visits UCF - College of Sciences News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Investigative journalist visits UCF - College of Sciences News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The efforts of one investigative journalist have helped put four Klansmen behind bars for killings committed during the civil rights era.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"College of Sciences News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-10-22T17:25:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2010\/10\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"jerriann.sullivan\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"jerriann.sullivan\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"jerriann.sullivan\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a58d50998b0df974ea6fc70a24e37019\"},\"headline\":\"Investigative journalist visits UCF\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-10-22T17:25:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":630,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2010\\\/10\\\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"COS News\",\"Events\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/\",\"name\":\"Investigative journalist visits UCF - College of Sciences News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2010\\\/10\\\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2010-10-22T17:25:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a58d50998b0df974ea6fc70a24e37019\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2010\\\/10\\\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/29\\\/2010\\\/10\\\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/\",\"name\":\"College of Sciences News\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/sciences.ucf.edu\\\/news\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/a58d50998b0df974ea6fc70a24e37019\",\"name\":\"jerriann.sullivan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"jerriann.sullivan\"},\"url\":\"\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Investigative journalist visits UCF - College of Sciences News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Investigative journalist visits UCF - College of Sciences News","og_description":"The efforts of one investigative journalist have helped put four Klansmen behind bars for killings committed during the civil rights era.","og_url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/","og_site_name":"College of Sciences News","article_published_time":"2010-10-22T17:25:10+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2010\/10\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"jerriann.sullivan","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"jerriann.sullivan","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/"},"author":{"name":"jerriann.sullivan","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/a58d50998b0df974ea6fc70a24e37019"},"headline":"Investigative journalist visits UCF","datePublished":"2010-10-22T17:25:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/"},"wordCount":630,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2010\/10\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg","articleSection":["COS News","Events"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/","name":"Investigative journalist visits UCF - College of Sciences News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2010\/10\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg","datePublished":"2010-10-22T17:25:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/a58d50998b0df974ea6fc70a24e37019"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/investigative-journalist-visits-ucf\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2010\/10\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/29\/2010\/10\/Jerry-Michell-at-Presentation-300x205.jpg"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/","name":"College of Sciences News","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/a58d50998b0df974ea6fc70a24e37019","name":"jerriann.sullivan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"jerriann.sullivan"},"url":""}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}