The case of B.F. Jackson
John W. Thompson ran a thriving law firm in Ripley, Mississippi. He represented a client named B.F. Jackson who murdered someone, and was convicted of the killing. On 16 October 1861, Thompson wrote to Mississippi Governor John Pettus requesting a pardon for B.F. Jackson. According to this letter, the petition for clemency is based upon the overall good character of Jackson - he was young, of peaceful character (at least until the murder occurred), uneducated, the son of a poor widow, as well as brave and courageous. Jackson was apparently attentive to the serious matters at hand during his trial. Thompson argued that Jackson was a good person at heart and had not set out with malicious intentions. Additionally, many of the men of Panola County reportedly supported this attempt at pardoning Jackson. To top off the request, attorney Thompson states that Jackson is willing to enlist as soldier in the Civil War, and that he would be an asset to the Confederacy on the battlefield!
There are several common themes in this petition that are frequently used when appealing to the governor for commutation of a murder sentence. One convention is to espouse the good nature & character of the person, at least their character before the murder took place. Another convention is to state that the community by and large "forgives" him and backs up the request for clemency. A third convention is to ask for military service as a substitute for incarceration at the penitentiary or as a substitute for execution.
As with many of these letters, there are so many questions left to answer. Who is B.F. Jackson and why did he murder someone? Does his socioeconomic background as detailed in this letter have something to do with the murder? Who was the victim, and what were the circumstances of this crime? And most importantly, what ultimately happened to B.F. Jackson?
