Alabama Legal Team Unearths Evidence linking Court Appointed Attorney to Ku Klux Klan Membership and Activism

New evidence suggests Robin Myers' trial lawyer was an active KKK member, prompting a legal battle to overturn the conviction of the intellectually disabled man.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 13, 2026, 7:51 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Raw Story

A Decades Old Conviction Under Fresh Scrutiny

The legal battle surrounding Robin Myers, a 64,year,old man with an intellectual disability, has intensified following a comprehensive investigation into the background of his trial counsel, John E. Mays. Myers was originally convicted for the 1991 stabbing death of Ludie Mae Tucker in Decatur, Alabama, an incident for which he has consistently maintained his innocence. While it was previously known that Mays represented the United Klans of America in civil matters, newly discovered newspaper archives suggest his involvement was far more ideological and participatory than a standard attorney,client relationship.

Evidence of Sustained White Supremacist Activism

Newly filed court documents allege that Mays was a regular speaker at Klan rallies across at least six states during the late 1970s and early 1980s. According to contemporaneous reports, the attorney stood alongside Imperial Wizard Robert Shelton to provide legal strategies for resisting school desegregation and exhorted white citizens to organize in anticipation of racial conflict. Furthermore, investigators discovered that Mays was a credited contributor to The Fiery Cross, the official newspaper of the United Klans of America, where he reportedly authored articles concerning federal infiltration of the organization.

Arguments Regarding Unwaivable Conflict of Interest

Myers' current legal team argues that Mays operated under a profound conflict of interest that fundamentally compromised his ability to represent a Black defendant. The motion to vacate points to specific instances during the 1994 trial where Mays’ rhetoric appeared to dehumanize his own client, such as describing Myers’ family home as "the very pit of hell." Lawyers contend that Mays’ deep,seated racial biases made it impossible for him to provide the effective assistance of counsel guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment, particularly in a case involving a white victim.