When a black man was lynched for rape, it got the public outraged

On December 11, 1894, a 21-year-old white woman named Maud Dutton was attacked by a black man named Thomas Brooks while she was riding a streetcar. Brooks was arrested and tried for the assault. Maud Dutton identified Brooks in the lineup, and the police found evidence of the crime, which was enough to convict Brooks and sentence him to death. The case was notable for the fact that Maud Dutton was subjected to an invasive medical examination at the hospital where she was being treated. This examination, known as a "rape court" or "rape court examination," involved the use of instruments to measure the victim's vaginal canal and cervix. This practice was widely condemned at the time and was later declared unconstitutional. The case also highlighted concerns about the reliability of witness identifications and the potential for racial bias in criminal investigations. Despite the fact that the victim's testimony was used as the primary evidence against Brooks, his conviction was upheld on appeal. Brooks was eventually executed on July 18, 1895, for the crime of rape.<br><br>Source: The Lynching of Thomas Brooks | Equal Justice Initiative<br><br>&#x200B;