Nearly a century after 16-year-old Alexander McClay Williams was wrongfully executed by the state of Pennsylvania, his family has filed a lawsuit seeking damages for his death. Williams was convicted of murder in 1931 and sent to the electric chair, but the conviction was vacated in 2022 after evidence of a wrongful conviction surfaced. In this article we talk about Family Files Lawsuit Nearly 100 Years After Teen’s Execution in Pa.
The Lawsuit Seeks Accountability for a Historic Injustice
On Monday, attorneys representing the Williams family announced their lawsuit against Pennsylvania and Delaware County. While no financial damages have been specified, the goal is to get some form of justice for Williams after recent court rulings acknowledged his wrongful prosecution and execution.
“Sadly, we cannot undo the past. We cannot rewrite history to erase the egregious wrongs of our forebearers,” said District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer last year. “However, when justice can be served by publicly acknowledging such a wrong, we must seize that opportunity.” The lawsuit aims to do just that by making the state accountable.
Revisiting the Alexander Williams Case and Conviction
In 1930, Vida Robare a 34-year-old white house matron, was found murdered in her cottage on the grounds of the Glen Mills School for Boys. Alexander Williams, one of the Black students at the reform school, was arrested and accused of the crime despite any witnesses or evidence placing him at the scene.
Prosecutors based their case on coerced confessions extracted from the frightened 16-year-old. They also ignored other leads including Robare’s recent divorce filing that cited “extreme cruelty” from her ex-husband Fred Robare, who first discovered her stabbed body.
Nonetheless Williams was swiftly convicted and executed in the electric chair on June 8, 1931. For decades his family insisted Alexander was innocent and new evidence has finally supported their claims.
The Path to Exoneration
Sam Lemon the great-grandson of Williams defense lawyer William H. Ridley took an interest in the historic case. His research uncovered information suggesting prosecutors had fabricated evidence against the teen.
Lemon brought his findings to the Delaware County District Attorney’s Conviction Integrity Unit which reinvestigated the Williams conviction. The Court of Common Pleas for Delaware County vacated the dubious 1931 verdict and ordered a new trial based on the new evidence.
District Attorney Stollsteimer then made the rare move of unilaterally dismissing all charges against Williams. His record was also expunged in 2017 through related efforts. However Williams was never retried or officially exonerated since he had already been put to death decades prior.
Seeking Long-Overdue Accountability
While Alexander Williams can never get back the life robbed from him at just 16, his family now seeks some form of justice with their lawsuit. The complaint condemns state officials for the historic miscarriage of justice that saw an innocent Black child sentenced to death on flimsy evidence.
The Williams family hopes to not only receive damages for their loss but also set a precedent for accountability. Their lawsuit ensures the unjust conviction and execution of Alexander Williams will not be forgotten so that others may be spared similar fates.
The case also highlights enduring flaws in the legal system regarding racial bias, coercion of suspects, and the death penalty itself. It is a stark reminder of past injustices that have shaped countless lives over generations. Perhaps by addressing this one historic wrong, a more just future can emerge. I sincerely hope you find this “Family Files Lawsuit Nearly 100 Years After Teen’s Execution in Pa-What Really Happened?” article helpful.
Skylar Lacey, a Travel and Tourism Management graduate from Temple University, offers 5 years of experience in travel writing and airport logistics at PhiladelphiaAirport.net. Her expertise helps travelers make the most of their journeys through Philadelphia International Airport. Connect with her on Instagram for more travel tips and insights.
