Soledad O'Brien

He was in solitary confinement. He could have faced the death penalty if found guilty. And now he could finally go home. In the corridor, Ray's mother, Martha, held back tears. She and her friends praised the Lord, singing hallelujah through the courtroom. She thanked the Lord for returning her son back to her.

He was in solitary confinement. He could have faced the death penalty if found guilty. And now he could finally go home. In the corridor, Ray's mother, Martha, held back tears. She and her friends praised the Lord, singing hallelujah through the courtroom. She thanked the Lord for returning her son back to her.

The jury didn't believe Ray was Mary's killer. And Dovey helped everyone see it. And managed to present her entire defense in 20 minutes, no less. That's right, her entire defense was that quick because of her strategic decision not to put Ray on the stand. On July 31st, 1965, the New York Times reported the verdict. The headline read, Washington Negro Freed in Murder.

The jury didn't believe Ray was Mary's killer. And Dovey helped everyone see it. And managed to present her entire defense in 20 minutes, no less. That's right, her entire defense was that quick because of her strategic decision not to put Ray on the stand. On July 31st, 1965, the New York Times reported the verdict. The headline read, Washington Negro Freed in Murder.

If that's not a sign of the times, I don't know what is. That in itself proves how historic this win was. Here was a black woman who could barely walk around Georgetown without people raising their eyebrows because of her race. And yet, she had just won a case against a powerful white prosecutor who had the state and all of its resources behind him. Here's Bob Bennett again.

If that's not a sign of the times, I don't know what is. That in itself proves how historic this win was. Here was a black woman who could barely walk around Georgetown without people raising their eyebrows because of her race. And yet, she had just won a case against a powerful white prosecutor who had the state and all of its resources behind him. Here's Bob Bennett again.

Soon, judges began appointing her murder cases left and right.

Soon, judges began appointing her murder cases left and right.

At last, the legal community gave her respect. Letters came in from all over the country congratulating Dovey on her big courtroom success. A friend from St. Louis wrote her a note shortly after the verdict. He said...

At last, the legal community gave her respect. Letters came in from all over the country congratulating Dovey on her big courtroom success. A friend from St. Louis wrote her a note shortly after the verdict. He said...

But not everyone was happy with the verdict. People like Bob Bennett.

But not everyone was happy with the verdict. People like Bob Bennett.

Other people did feel that way, like Mary's family and friends. Cicely Angleton sat in the back of the courtroom when she heard the news. She was stoic. And several days after the trial, Ben Bradley called Hantman, asking him, what went wrong? Why did Ray get off? We couldn't find any records of Mary's ex-husband, Cord, or their sons being at the trial.

Other people did feel that way, like Mary's family and friends. Cicely Angleton sat in the back of the courtroom when she heard the news. She was stoic. And several days after the trial, Ben Bradley called Hantman, asking him, what went wrong? Why did Ray get off? We couldn't find any records of Mary's ex-husband, Cord, or their sons being at the trial.

A few sources told us Mary's family thought the prosecution was going after the right man all along. Maybe when the judge granted Ray's freedom, they felt like they were watching the murderer slip through their hands. It had to be devastating. We reached out to the Meyer family. A producer of ours spoke with one of Mary's sons on the phone, but he and the family declined to speak for this podcast.

A few sources told us Mary's family thought the prosecution was going after the right man all along. Maybe when the judge granted Ray's freedom, they felt like they were watching the murderer slip through their hands. It had to be devastating. We reached out to the Meyer family. A producer of ours spoke with one of Mary's sons on the phone, but he and the family declined to speak for this podcast.

What if, in their eyes, the man who killed their beloved Mary went unpunished and now he was going home?

What if, in their eyes, the man who killed their beloved Mary went unpunished and now he was going home?

Even if Mary's family thought it was unfair, Ray was now a free man, he had still been punished. He was locked up for nearly a year, and we know that at least some of it was in solitary confinement. His life would never be the same. He was irrevocably changed by being locked away.

Even if Mary's family thought it was unfair, Ray was now a free man, he had still been punished. He was locked up for nearly a year, and we know that at least some of it was in solitary confinement. His life would never be the same. He was irrevocably changed by being locked away.