Soledad O'Brien

It had been nine months since Mary Meyer was shot in broad daylight on the Georgetown towpath. Her killer hadn't been brought to justice. For Mary's family and friends, Ray's trial was their chance for some closure. Mary was a painter, a pacifist, a vital part of a Georgetown community of artists. In many ways, her life was just beginning. Her friend, Cicely Angleton, was back in the courtroom.

It had been nine months since Mary Meyer was shot in broad daylight on the Georgetown towpath. Her killer hadn't been brought to justice. For Mary's family and friends, Ray's trial was their chance for some closure. Mary was a painter, a pacifist, a vital part of a Georgetown community of artists. In many ways, her life was just beginning. Her friend, Cicely Angleton, was back in the courtroom.

Ray's mother Martha was sitting in the back of the courtroom with her church friends. When we last left the trial, Dovey had just won a big victory. She'd shown that Hantman's theory was bunk. He tried to say Ray had to be Mary's killer because there were only so many official exits off of the towpath. But Dovey had dismantled that argument.

Ray's mother Martha was sitting in the back of the courtroom with her church friends. When we last left the trial, Dovey had just won a big victory. She'd shown that Hantman's theory was bunk. He tried to say Ray had to be Mary's killer because there were only so many official exits off of the towpath. But Dovey had dismantled that argument.

There were countless ways a phantom killer could have escaped the area. U.S. Attorney Alfred Hantman called up Henry Wiggins to the bench. Henry Wiggins was a working man, a war veteran, an upstanding citizen. He had a lot of things going for him as a witness. After all, he was the one who'd heard the murder go down. Sure, he was a black man, and it was the 1960s.

There were countless ways a phantom killer could have escaped the area. U.S. Attorney Alfred Hantman called up Henry Wiggins to the bench. Henry Wiggins was a working man, a war veteran, an upstanding citizen. He had a lot of things going for him as a witness. After all, he was the one who'd heard the murder go down. Sure, he was a black man, and it was the 1960s.

But it was his word against another black man. And, well, the scales were tipping in his direction now that Ray looked like he was a liar. The kind of man who skipped work. The kind of man whose friend would testify against him. Henry was the prosecution's backbone. Dovey thought the car mechanic looked younger in person than his photograph in the paper. And he was young, only 24 years old.

But it was his word against another black man. And, well, the scales were tipping in his direction now that Ray looked like he was a liar. The kind of man who skipped work. The kind of man whose friend would testify against him. Henry was the prosecution's backbone. Dovey thought the car mechanic looked younger in person than his photograph in the paper. And he was young, only 24 years old.

He had been in the military police corps in Korea. When he took the stand, you could tell he was a soldier. He was confident and calm. He knew how to follow orders. Henry told the prosecutor what happened. He and his colleague were affixing a stalled AMC Rambler near the Esso station on Canal Road. No one knew whose Rambler it actually was or how it was even left there in the first place.

He had been in the military police corps in Korea. When he took the stand, you could tell he was a soldier. He was confident and calm. He knew how to follow orders. Henry told the prosecutor what happened. He and his colleague were affixing a stalled AMC Rambler near the Esso station on Canal Road. No one knew whose Rambler it actually was or how it was even left there in the first place.

It was around 12.25 when they heard a scream. A scream that went on for 20 seconds. Then, a gunshot. After less than a fraction of a second, Henry said he crossed the road toward the stone wall. Then he heard the second gunshot. He looked over the wall, around 120 feet or so away, and got a glance of a black man standing over a woman's body. After he saw the killer, he ducked behind the barrier.

It was around 12.25 when they heard a scream. A scream that went on for 20 seconds. Then, a gunshot. After less than a fraction of a second, Henry said he crossed the road toward the stone wall. Then he heard the second gunshot. He looked over the wall, around 120 feet or so away, and got a glance of a black man standing over a woman's body. After he saw the killer, he ducked behind the barrier.

Then he peeked back over to get a second look. That's when he saw the man put a dark object into his jacket pocket and saunter off into the woods. Henry called the police. When they arrived, he described the man he saw. He was of medium build, around 5'8 in height, weighing about 185 pounds. Around that time, Officer Warner, one of the detectives on the scene, was walking below with a man.

Then he peeked back over to get a second look. That's when he saw the man put a dark object into his jacket pocket and saunter off into the woods. Henry called the police. When they arrived, he described the man he saw. He was of medium build, around 5'8 in height, weighing about 185 pounds. Around that time, Officer Warner, one of the detectives on the scene, was walking below with a man.

They were heading toward the murder scene. Henry saw them from above on Canal Road. It was the same man he saw standing over the victim's body. That's when Henry pointed to the man and said, that's him. The prosecution was playing their hand well.

They were heading toward the murder scene. Henry saw them from above on Canal Road. It was the same man he saw standing over the victim's body. That's when Henry pointed to the man and said, that's him. The prosecution was playing their hand well.

According to author Ron Rosenbaum... It was good eyewitness testimony.

According to author Ron Rosenbaum... It was good eyewitness testimony.

After hearing Henry's memory of the events, Hentman brought out several pieces of clothing, shoes, a white jacket, dark corduroy pants, and a cap Ray wore that day. The district jail confiscated Ray's pants and shoes after his arrest. Wiggins testified they were the exact clothes he had seen on the man standing over Mary Meyer. Handman had all the pieces in place.

After hearing Henry's memory of the events, Hentman brought out several pieces of clothing, shoes, a white jacket, dark corduroy pants, and a cap Ray wore that day. The district jail confiscated Ray's pants and shoes after his arrest. Wiggins testified they were the exact clothes he had seen on the man standing over Mary Meyer. Handman had all the pieces in place.