The South Carolina Parole and Pardons Board has unanimously granted Tom Joyner a posthumous pardon for his great-uncles, Thomas and Meeks Griffin, who were executed in 1915 for a crime they didn’t commit.

Officials believe the men are the first in the state to be posthumously pardoned in a capital murder case.

Joyner, his brother, Albert, and two sons, Thomas and Oscar, were joined by Harvard scholar Henry Louis “Skip” Gates and his legal team in presenting their case. The host of "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" called in to the program right after the decision came down shortly after 9:30 a.m. to inform co-hosts Sybil Wilkes and J. Anthony Brown, along with his nationwide listening audience, who'd been texting their well-wishes for the family all morning.

“They did give my uncles a posthumous pardon,” Joyner said. “We’re getting ready to go now for the signing of the pardon letter.”

Joyner had been on a quest to clear his uncles’ names after learning of their story when Gates announced the results of genealogy research conducted on Joyner’s family as part of Gates’ 2008 PBS special, “African American Lives II.”

Joyner, with help from Gates and South Carolina attorney Stephen K. Benjamin, put together the case petitioning the state to exonerate his maternal great-uncles.

The brothers were executed with two other black men for the April 1913 shooting death of John Lewis, 73, a wealthy Confederate veteran living in a town 40 miles north of Columbia.

The Griffin brothers were indicted in July 1913 and given just two days to prepare the case. The family was forced to sell 130 acres of land to finance the defense. Their lawyer sought a delay but the request was denied, leaving just one day to get ready. Later, the state Supreme Court said the denial was insignificant to the outcome of the case.

“White people petitioned the governor to exonerate them,” Gates said, but to no avail.

The men were framed by a black man who may well have committed the crime himself, Gates said, adding that the man later said he did it because he knew the Griffin family was wealthy enough to hire a lawyer.

“I don’t care if you had Thurgood Marshall defending you; nobody could prepare for a murder trial in a day,” Joyner said in an interview last week with BlackAmericaWeb.com.

After the Griffin brothers died in the electric chair on Sept. 29, 1915, Joyner's grandmother was hurriedly moved to Florida, where the family believed their history began – at least until the genealogical study. His grandmother, Joyner said, never told the story of what happened to her brothers, and his father never knew what happened to his uncles until Gates presented the research.
 
“And people don’t like to talk. There are not a lot of records that we can dig up.  Had the genealogical study not been done, we wouldn’t have the story,” Joyner said. “I’m sure they are not the only African-Americans who have been framed, and their stories will never be told, and they’ll never be cleared.”

“It’s just a great day. Justice was served for the Joyner family,” Gates said. “I’m sad that it happened to the Joyner family, but I’m glad justice was served….We can’t change the past, but we can change how the past is remembered.”

A pardon required at least five votes from the seven-member board.

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Associated Press contributed to this article.

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Rubinisk, you need to step back. Why are you al;wyas in the middle of BAW controversy? Ask yourself this fundemental question. Angry black man always looking for a fight.

by   
Jiggy5
October 15, 2009, 2:04 pm
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Congratulations, Tom Joyner! Good work.

by   
CAmira
October 15, 2009, 1:20 pm
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Ho many of us have an uncle or grandfather that was lynched? It was at one time an American tradition. Look how far we have come, and look how far we have to go! Thank you Tom!

by   
Hseman413
October 15, 2009, 12:27 pm
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@ Boughtwaprice:CHEAPLY I AM SURE---
MISSPELLED WORDS-
gist-jist
capable-capble
selvetive-???????a wild guess but is it selective???? and u want to post about intelligence---have it STRAIGHT when u post to me!!!!! NOW U HAVE SOMETHING TO BE ANGRY,WITH ME ABOUT!!!!

by   
Rubinisk
October 15, 2009, 11:18 am
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.....HAVE my blood pressure UP--NO U DON'T!!! And HOW in the HELL did u get 'no congratulations are in order' from my posts is BEYOND ME----JUST LOOKIN FOR A FIGHT!!!!

by   
Rubinisk
October 15, 2009, 11:08 am
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OOOOOOOO NOOOOO U Don't!!!! Its like this:@Boughtwaprice:Don't START NO
S ugar
H oney
I ce
T ea!!!! then it won't be ANY!!!!!! INSTEAD of RUNNING OFF WITH WHAT U THOUGHT WAS MY POST--U SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE THE DEFERENCE TO ASK ME WHY I POSTED WHAT I POSTED IN THE FIRST PLACE--I CAN CLARIFY MYSELF IF NEED BE---U OR ANYBODY DO NOT GET TO PUT WORDS IN
MY MOUTH!!!! NOW CHEW ON THAT!!!! JUST: WHAT IS UR CONFUNCTION??????

by   
Rubinisk
October 15, 2009, 10:59 am
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Rubinisk, I forgot about the ignorance factor in your post. People like you are just self-hating negroe with low self-esteem and poor minded...So there is no intelligent dialogue possible...Trust, I get the jist of your post, no starting shyt, because that is where you live and dwell not me. Me..I just congratulate whether related to me or not...I wish more Black people where capble of standing up for each other, than tearing down each others and their actions. What happened to a simple. Good for you

Its's selvective personal standard though

by   
Broughtwaprice
October 15, 2009, 10:15 am
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Congrats to the Joyner family. He didn't do this to uplift the black (AA) community. He did this to clear his family's name; to turn around an injustice.

by   
Hartrob1
October 15, 2009, 9:27 am
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Thank God for you Mr. Tom Joyner, There is a God I would hope that this well start something towards helping other peoples. Now the hard work, Getting Back the LAND. Have you or your lawyer found the land? My guess its prime real estate with hotel on them, beach front property I wish you the Best of luck.

by   
Trevino54
October 15, 2009, 9:22 am
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......and SINCE there are not any statue of limitations for murder,there should NOT be statue of limitations(in most states), for RESTITUTION,if pursued,from the family(lies) of a person(s)who is WRONGFULLY charged of murder(and executed)!!!!!!

by   
Rubinisk
October 15, 2009, 8:50 am
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Boughtwaprice---GO BACK and READ my post!!!! U took my post OUT of CONTEXT---let me break down to you--I meant that I could NOT GET as ANGRY as the JOYNERS,in which 4 irreplacable lives and land was lost---however,it REALLY is NOT my place to question restitution------although I did--NOT UR IMPLICATION,that this day should NOT be celebrated---I DID NOT mean that!!!! REREAD my post!!!!! (always some-noBODY TRY'IN to start some
S ugar
H oney
I ce
T ea!!!

by   
Rubinisk
October 15, 2009, 8:26 am
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Even Joyner admits that some of the dots didn't connect. I am sure the state of SC said this happen 100 years ago ..Who cares and we have better things to do besides babysitting a couple of celebrities through a 100 year old crime. I am sure if someone partition their state, you could get every questionable case pardon during that time. Congrats to Joyner and Gates can't wait to see the movie when it comes out.....hopefully the proceeds can be donated to****ist AA communities but I doubt it......Empower Yourself!

by   
Reality_Check
October 15, 2009, 8:20 am
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Congrats to the Joyner family on getting some kind of resolution to your family history. I am not trying to be drag down the AA community celebration of this but I don't see how resolving a 100 year old injustice/murder has anything to do with uplifting AA. I am sorry that I can't revel in the moment of a case being overturned after all these years based on a black pimp fingering some innocent bystanders....Don't this sound familiar. (continued)

by   
Reality_Check
October 15, 2009, 8:14 am
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Congratulation Mr. Joyner and to your entire family! God is good and so is Henry Louis “Skip” Gates.

by   
Pwr4ll
October 14, 2009, 10:35 pm
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Why does it have to be your relative in order to congratulate Justice. They are not my relatives neither but perhaps this can help some of my murder ancestors have some peace. This was an acknowledgement of the dirty deeds against all African-Americans and the lessons is never give up and continue to fight for justice for all of us and not just your relative...Damn

by   
Broughtwaprice
October 14, 2009, 9:50 pm
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I,just,reread--so FOUR African-Americans were sent to death for this murder!!!????? HMMMMPH!!!! These are NOT my relatives,and I am happy,that the Joyner family could AT LEAST get some comfort from this--but the state of South Carolina,(whom probably thought they really did something here),need to make some kind of resitituiton--but I guess it is NONYON(non of my business)!

by   
Rubinisk
October 14, 2009, 5:58 pm
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I am incensed that 2 men,brothers at that,were MURDERED,not executed(they were INNOCENT),IMO,& their land STOLEN,& their names BISMIRCHED for MANY,MANY years,--(were there ANYONE,ALIVE,who knew them,to witness this big event?),WHAT $$$$$$ RESTITUTION,if any,is the state of S. Carolina,are willing to make to Mr.Joyner and his family???
These men ARE not here for this celebration and most likely,neither friends or immediate family,from that era!!!!!!
(I am NOT trying to put a DAMPER on this),but it seems,South Carolina,suffered VERY LITTLE,which is MOSTLY the case,when it pertains to A.A.'s!!!!

by   
Rubinisk
October 14, 2009, 5:41 pm
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CONGRATULATIONS, Tom to you and your family! What a great story and a most of all it is a very meaningful history lesson. And a lesson in justice for your children and grandchildren (and for all of us as well). Thank you for seeing this through.
I, for one, one am proud of you and happy you.
Peace and Blessings,
FiftyCyn

by   
FiftyCyn
October 14, 2009, 3:59 pm
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Congrats Tom! You are a very good nephew. It would be great if we could see that along with the program that Professor Gates did.

by   
Tyanit
October 14, 2009, 3:49 pm
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Hey Tom, GREAT JOB! I am proud of you for doing what you did. God Bless and may your family grow in GRACE. Teddy from Charleston, now live in Jaacksonville.

by   
Goodlovingdaddy
October 14, 2009, 2:41 pm
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Right on, Tom I'm happy for you and your family!!!!!

by   
Greenmean
October 14, 2009, 1:09 pm
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Did he win a pardon for Uncle Tom?

by   
Jiggy5
October 14, 2009, 12:57 pm
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WAY TO GO TOM JOYNER,
Having my roots on my moms side coming from Charleston,i like to see them paying for their wrong doings of our people.I also noticed that a lot of people from the Tuskegee area roots began in S.C. Who knows maybe there are more stories like this to tell..GOD BLESS AND CONGRATS.........

by   
Skegeebp51
October 14, 2009, 11:02 am
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Wow, This is Wonderful News

by   
Rsekots
October 14, 2009, 10:45 am
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Congratluations to Tom Joyner and his family on the outcome of this trial. In the great words of Professor Gates "We can’t change the past, but we can change how the past is remembered.”
A fan of TJMS - Chattanooga (Dianne Hicks)

by   
Msjulyfly
October 14, 2009, 10:44 am
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Praise God. Congratulations to the Joyner Family.

by   
Williemannreed
October 14, 2009, 9:42 am
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