Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr. (June 20, 1938 – June 26, 2020) was an American terrorist and convicted felon, formerly serving four life sentences for his role as conspirator in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963, which killed four African American girls (Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, Addie Mae Collins, and Denise McNair).[1] Blanton, along with Bobby Frank Cherry, was convicted in 2001 in a highly publicized trial of the cold case.[2] Future United States SenatorDoug Jones successfully prosecuted Blanton and Cherry.[3]
Blanton was born in Washington, D.C., on June 20, 1938, and was the son of Thomas Edwin "Pops" Blanton Sr., who was described in 2001 as a notorious racist in the Birmingham, Alabama, area.[4][5]
Education and careeredit
Blanton had a tenth-grade education and served as an aircraft mechanic in the Navy from 1956 to 1959. Blanton was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1960s, along with the other suspects in the bombing.[5]
Trial and imprisonmentedit
At the time of his arrest, Blanton was working at a Walmart store and he was living in a trailer with no running water.[5]
Blanton was a suspect from early in the investigation, but J. Edgar Hoover prevented attempts by the Birmingham office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to bring charges against Blanton and three other men. This was reportedly because Hoover thought a successful prosecution was unlikely.[5] In a jury trial in 2001, Blanton was prosecuted by the state, and convicted of murder. He was sentenced to four life sentences in state prison.[1]
He was housed at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama.[6] Blanton went before the parole board on August 3, 2016. Parole was denied and deferred until 2021.[7]
^Faulk, Kent (July 14, 2016). "Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bomber up for parole next month". The Birmingham News. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
^Thomas Blanton, 16th Street Baptist Church bomber, dies in prison
February 15, 2024
thomas, edwin, blanton, june, 1938, june, 2020, american, terrorist, convicted, felon, formerly, serving, four, life, sentences, role, conspirator, 16th, street, baptist, church, bombing, birmingham, alabama, september, 1963, which, killed, four, african, amer. Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr June 20 1938 June 26 2020 was an American terrorist and convicted felon formerly serving four life sentences for his role as conspirator in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham Alabama on September 15 1963 which killed four African American girls Carole Robertson Cynthia Wesley Addie Mae Collins and Denise McNair 1 Blanton along with Bobby Frank Cherry was convicted in 2001 in a highly publicized trial of the cold case 2 Future United States Senator Doug Jones successfully prosecuted Blanton and Cherry 3 Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr Undated mug shot of Blanton taken by the Alabama Department of CorrectionsBorn 1938 06 20 June 20 1938Washington D C U S DiedJune 26 2020 2020 06 26 aged 82 William E Donaldson Correctional Facility Bessemer Alabama U S Known forParticipant in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombingParentThomas Edwin Pops Blanton Sr MotiveWhite supremacyConviction s First degree murder 4 counts Criminal penaltyLife imprisonmentPartner s Robert Edward Chambliss Bobby Frank Cherry Contents 1 Early life 2 Education and career 3 Trial and imprisonment 4 Death 5 See also 6 Further reading 7 ReferencesEarly life editBlanton was born in Washington D C on June 20 1938 and was the son of Thomas Edwin Pops Blanton Sr who was described in 2001 as a notorious racist in the Birmingham Alabama area 4 5 Education and career editBlanton had a tenth grade education and served as an aircraft mechanic in the Navy from 1956 to 1959 Blanton was a member of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1960s along with the other suspects in the bombing 5 Trial and imprisonment editAt the time of his arrest Blanton was working at a Walmart store and he was living in a trailer with no running water 5 Blanton was a suspect from early in the investigation but J Edgar Hoover prevented attempts by the Birmingham office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to bring charges against Blanton and three other men This was reportedly because Hoover thought a successful prosecution was unlikely 5 In a jury trial in 2001 Blanton was prosecuted by the state and convicted of murder He was sentenced to four life sentences in state prison 1 He was housed at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore Alabama 6 Blanton went before the parole board on August 3 2016 Parole was denied and deferred until 2021 7 Death editOn June 26 2020 Blanton died at William E Donaldson Correctional Facility from unspecified causes while serving his life sentence six days after his 82nd birthday 8 5 See also editAfrican American history Civil rights movement Birmingham campaign Mass racial violence in the United StatesFurther reading editSikora Frank 2005 Until Justice Rolls Down The Birmingham Church Bombing Case University of Alabama Press ISBN 9780817352684 References edit a b Sack Kevin May 2 2001 Ex Klansman Is Found Guilty in 63 Bombing The New York Times Retrieved February 5 2009 16th Street Baptist Church bombing History amp Four Girls Encyclopedia Britannica Retrieved 2021 08 05 Reeves Jay May 23 2002 Case closed Cherry guilty TimesDaily Associated Press Retrieved May 27 2019 Clary Mike 14 April 2001 Birmingham s Painful Past Reopened Los Angeles Times Retrieved 21 June 2014 a b c d e Genzlinger Neil June 26 2020 Thomas Blanton Who Bombed a Birmingham Church Dies at 82 The New York Times Retrieved June 27 2020 Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr Alabama Department of Corrections Retrieved Sep 15 2013 permanent dead link Faulk Kent July 14 2016 Sixteenth Street Baptist Church bomber up for parole next month The Birmingham News Retrieved July 16 2016 Thomas Blanton 16th Street Baptist Church bomber dies in prison Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Edwin Blanton Jr amp oldid 1189450842, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
