BROWN V MISSISSIPPI 297 U.S 278 1936 BROWN V MISSISSIPPI U.S CONSTITUTION U.S GOV'T JUDICIAL HUMAN RIGHTS CIVIL RIGHTS/EQUALITY AFRICAN AMERICANS U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION SIGNIFICANCE THIS WAS THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF CASES THAT DEALT WITH THE METHODS USED TO OBTAIN CONFESSIONS FROM CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS IN THIS CASE THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT PHYSICAL BRUTALITY COULD NOT BE USED TO DRAW A CONFESSION FROM A SUSPECT AND THAT ANY CONFESSION GAINED IN THIS WAY VIOLATED THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE OF THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT BACKGROUND ED BROWN WAS ONE OF THREE AFRICAN AMERICAN TENANT FARMERS ACCUSED OF MURDERING A WHITE PLANTER THE MAIN EVIDENCE USED AGAINST THE DEFENDANTS WAS THE CONFESSIONS THEY MADE TO THE POLICE HOWEVER DURING THE TRIAL IT WAS MADE CLEAR THAT THEY HAD CONFESSED TO THE CRIME ONLY AFTER POLICE OFFICERS HAD WHIPPED THEM BRUTALLY THE THREE MEN WERE CONVICTED OF MURDER AND SENTENCED TO DEATH AND THE MISSISSIPPI SUPREME COURT UPHELD THE CONVICTION ON APPEAL EARL LEROY BREWER A FORMER MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR TOOK THE CASE TO THE U.S SUPREME COURT WITH FUNDING FROM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE AND THE COMMISSION ON INTERRACIAL COOPERATION DECISION THIS CASE WAS ARGUED ON JANUARY 10 1936 AND DECIDED ON FEBRUARY 17 1936 BY A VOTE OF 9 TO 0 CHIEF JUSTICE CHARLES EVANS HUGHES SPOKE FOR THE UNANIMOUS COURT THE COURT RULED IN FAVOR OF THE TENANT FARMERS SAYING THAT TO CONVICT A PERSON BASED ON ONLY A CONFESSION FORCED BY PHYSICAL BRUTALITY VIOLATED THAT PERSON'S FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL
