Blanton died of natural causes at Donaldson prison near Birmingham, Alabama Gov. Chambliss was convicted in 1977 and died in prison in 1985, while Cherry was convicted in 2002 and died in prison in 2004. On September 15, 1963, a bomb ripped through an exterior wall of the brick church, killing four girls who were inside preparing for a youth program. During the trial, then-US Attorney Jones, appointed as a special state prosecutor, said Blanton acted in response to months of civil rights demonstrations. A 1993 meeting in Birmingham between FBI officials and black ministers led to the reopening of the bombing case against Blanton and Cherry.

Source: Daily Mail June 26, 2020 20:42 UTC