Journalist Jerry Mitchell , an award-winning investigative reporter for the '' Jackson Clarion-Ledger '' , had written extensively about the case for many years . Mitchell , who had already earned fame for helping secure convictions in several other high-profile civil rights era murder cases , including the assassination of Medgar Evers , the Birmingham , Alabama 16th Street Baptist Church bombing , and the murder of Vernon Dahmer in Mississippi , developed new evidence , found new witnesses and pressured the state to take action . Barry Bradford , an Illinois high-school teacher later famous for helping clear the name of civil rights martyr Clyde Kennard , and three students , Allison Nichols , Sarah Siegel , and Brittany Saltiel , joined Mitchell 's efforts
16th Street Baptist Church bombing
16th Street Baptist Church bombing
Andrew Goodman