3 Alabama Rights Leaders Acquitted of Vote Fraud

Three veteran civil rights leaders were acquitted of federal election fraud charges Friday in a case that had led national black leaders to accuse the government of harassing minority voters.

A federal court jury of seven blacks and five whites deliberated for about four hours before finding Albert Turner; his wife, Evelyn Turner, and Spencer Hogue Jr. not guilty of the charges.

Burst Into Tears

Turner smiled, his wife burst into tears and Hogue hugged his lawyer when the verdicts were read.

Turner, a former aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his wife and Hogue were accused of altering absentee ballots in the September, 1984, Perry County Democratic primary.

U.S. District Judge Emmett Cox had dropped many of the charges in a 29-count indictment against the three for lack of evidence.

Defense lawyers charged that the Justice Department investigation, which has led to five other indictments in Greene County, was intended to intimidate black voters and diminish minority political power in Alabama’s Black Belt and throughout the South.

Jesse Jackson and other national black leaders portrayed the case as federal harassment of minority-member voters.

Defense attorney Dennis Balske urged the jury to “let freedom ring” by acquitting the defendants, who helped organize the Selma-to-Montgomery march and other civil rights demonstrations that led to the 1965 Voting Rights Act.

“This case has historic importance. You will have a great deal of impact on our democracy in this area,” defense lawyer Morton Stavis told the jury in closing arguments Thursday.

“An American jury has spoken,” Stavis said after Friday’s verdicts. “I just hope the Reagan Administration gets the message and takes steps to discontinue its remaining prosecutions, which are obviously designed to diminish black voting.”

Prosecutors contended that the Turners and Hogue had altered ballots in vendettas against local politicians who refused to give them patronage jobs.

‘Witch Hunt’ Denied

Assistant U.S. Atty. E. T. Rolison denied that there was a government “witch hunt” and told the jury that the defendants had lost sight of their purpose since working with King two decades ago and had lied to cover their crimes.

The defendants never denied changing some ballots but said that they did so only at the request of voters.

Turner had faced 80 years in prison on the 16 charges against him, his wife faced 70 years on 14 charges and Hogue faced 30 years on six charges.