A segregationist and member of the Ku Klux Klan, Byron De La Beckwith is known for the murder of civil rights activist, Medgar Evers. He first was prosecuted for this crime in 1964 where he encountered two trials, both ending in a deadlocked jury. The case was once again brought to court in 1994 where the final verdict ended in his conviction and a life sentence.
Many people have questioned the validity of this court case due to the fifth amendment’s ban on double jeopardy, meaning no person can be convicted of the same crime twice. In Beckwith’s case he was put on trial for the same crime twice, but, unlike other cases, it did not violate his fifth amendment rights. This can be explained through nolle prosequi; a term which means the charges