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Scott PowersDecember 19, 2018

Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio called for the Florida Cabinet to provide an action of posthumous justice for the Groveland Four during a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate Tuesday night, declaring, “It is time to do the right thing for the Groveland Four!” Rubio’s comments brought to the U.S. Capitol the case of […]

Jacob OglesDecember 8, 2018

Outgoing Cabinet members like won’t meet again to address a pardon for the Groveland Four. But Attorney General-elect Ashley Moody said the cause won’t go ignored. Asked about how her office will address the pardon for the Lake County men falsely accused of raping a woman in 1949, Moody told Florida Politics she will look […]

Scott PowersDecember 3, 2018

Nineteen months after the Florida Legislature apologized on behalf of the state for injustice toward four black men falsely accused of rape in 1949 and urged Gov. Rick Scott and Florida’s cabinet to expedite pardons for them, there appear to be no such pardons in the works for the Groveland Four. But there still might […]

Scott PowersSeptember 10, 2018

In 2017 the Florida Legislature acknowledged and apologized for one of Florida’s ugliest recorded events of 20th-century racism. Yet barring a late surprise it would be left to the next state government to address the Groveland Four, and all four Democratic Florida Cabinet nominees pledged they would move swiftly, if elected, to issue long-sought pardons. […]

Scott PowersNovember 29, 2017

Hours after Gov. Rick Scott declined to talk specifically about the posthumous pardons requested for the Groveland Four — 1940s victims of racial injustice that led to two being killed and two going to prison — the governor’s office said Wednesday he is aware of the case and reviewing options. “Governor Scott is aware of […]

Scott PowersNovember 29, 2017

If the Groveland Four need an advocate within the Florida Cabinet in order to get posthumously pardoned for false convictions that occurred more than 60 years ago, it doesn’t appear to be Gov. Rick Scott at this time. When asked about the Groveland Four pardon request case Wednesday morning in Jacksonville, Scott offered no indication […]

Scott PowersNovember 20, 2017

There is no pardon for the Groveland Four. At least not yet, and possibly not in the foreseeable future, despite much celebration last spring that they deserved and should receive posthumous pardons. The Groveland Four are the young, black men who were falsely accused of raping a white woman in rural Lake County in 1949. […]

Scott PowersMay 16, 2017

Republican gubernatorial candidate and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam brought his “Florida First” campaign to the Orlando area for the first time Tuesday afternoon, promising conservative, pro-growth values and belittling liberals he expects to go after him. The fifth-generation Floridian and former state and U.S. lawmaker continued the opening themes of his brand new campaign, declaring […]

Darryl PaulsonMay 1, 2017

On July 16, 1949, seventeen-year-old Norma Padgett claimed that her husband Willie was assaulted and she was raped by four black males near Groveland, Florida. Groveland is located in Lake County in central Florida. In July 1986, I co-authored the first scholarly article on the Groveland case in the Florida Historical Quarterly, along with historians […]

Michael MolineApril 27, 2017

The Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to apologize to survivors of the Groveland Four — African-American men who were brutalized in 1949 following a false accusation of rape. The senators first voted, 36-0, to sign on as cosponsors, then approved the resolution on a voice vote. “This is a great miscarriage of justice,” sponsor Gary Farmer said. “This […]

Tag: Groveland Four

Marco Rubio calls for justice for Groveland Four

Ashley Moody: Groveland Four will be ‘one of the first things I look at’

No pardons in line for Groveland Four as Rick Scott, clemency board postpone meeting

Democrats for Cabinet calling for Groveland Four pardons, Republicans mum

Rick Scott’s office: Governor is aware of Groveland Four case, reviewing all options

Rick Scott non-committal about Groveland Four pardons request

Where are the Groveland Four pardons? Their story continues in silence

Adam Putnam brings ‘Florida First’ tour to Altamonte Springs

Darryl Paulson: Groveland — Florida’s legacy of hate

Senate sends Groveland Four resolution to Governor and Cabinet