Jimmy Wilson (robber)

James E. "Jimmy" Wilson (born 1903),[1] was an American farmhand who was convicted of violent robbery by an Alabama court in 1958 and sentenced to death.

[5] Jimmy Wilson was arrested on July 27, 1957, for stealing $1.95 at night from a 74-year-old[7] white widow, Estelle Barker, in Marion, Alabama.

[5] Barker also testified that Wilson attempted to rape her, which he denied; although he was not indicted on this charge, as night-time robbery carried a harsher potential sentence.

"[13] While it was difficult to find anyone who would speak in Wilson's defence in his home town, the case received international coverage, with critical articles appearing in newspapers all across the world.

[15] Jim Folsom, the Governor of Alabama (who opposed capital punishment), received over 1,000 letters per day urging clemency for Wilson.

[18] The US Secretary of State, John Foster Dulles sent a letter to Folsom notifying him of the immense international attention the case had received.