Charles Freeman Change of Venue Hearing (1968)

Duration: 1:30

Year Published: 1968

Sound: sound

Description: This unedited footage from Houston’s KPRC-TV captures the scene at a change of venue hearing for the trial of Charles Freeman on April 29, 1968. Freeman was one of the TSU Five, a small group of Texas Southern University students charged with assault with intent to murder following the TSU Riot the previous May. To ensure a fair trial following extensive news coverage of the case, Harris County District Attorney Carol Vance and the Houston Bar Association asked District Judge Wendell Odom for a change of venue. During the hearing on April 29, Odom transferred the trial to Victoria. The following day, District Judge Joe Kelly of Victoria came to Houston to meet with the prosecution and defense teams, setting a trial date of June 24. Following the denial of further change of venue requests by the defense, the trial took place between October 28 and 30. On October 31, after nine hours of deliberation, the all-white jury informed the judge that they were deadlocked. Judge Kelly ultimately dropped the charges against all five defendants in June 1970 due to insufficient evidence. Judge Odom dropped the remaining charges of inciting a riot in November.