In 1955, the nation was shocked and horrified by the brutal murder of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago visiting family down South.
Emmett allegedly flirted with a white woman working behind the counter of her family's general store in Money, Mississippi. Maybe he whistled, maybe he called her "baby." Maybe he didn't do anything at all. The stories varied.
Whatever happened, the woman, Carolyn Bryant, told her husband, Roy Bryant. He and his half-brother, J.W. Milam, went to Emmett's great uncle's house and abducted him. His body was later found dumped in a river, shot and beaten beyond recognition.
Roy Bryant and Milam were arrested, tried and acquitted. Safe from double jeopardy, they later sold the story of how they killed Emmett to a national magazine.
But one person alleged to be a part of Emmett's murder was never arrested or tried. And that was Carolyn Bryant.
She allegedly was in the truck with her husband and brother-in-law and identified Emmett.
But Emmett's family recently unearthed a 1955 arrest warrant for Carolyn Bryant on a charge of kidnapping the boy. Apparently the county sheriff at the time declined to serve it since she had two young children at home.
Carolyn Bryant Donham is now 88 and living in North Carolina. And the Till family wants the warrant served, the woman arrested and tried.
We agree. Though some say there is no point in bringing an 88-year-old to trial, we think of Emmett Till, who never lived to see the age of 15. His family has waited a long time for any justice. Far too long.
There are problems executing such an old warrant. And it may not be possible to ever actually arrest Caroline Bryant Donham. But in our view Mississippi authorities should try. They owe it to the Till family. They owe it to Emmett Till.