this case was the second landmark decision arising out of the scottsboro boys trials (the first was the 1932 case, "powell v. alabama"). haywood patterson, along with several other african-american defendants, were tried for raping two white women in 1931 in scottsboro, alabama. the trials were rushed, there was virtually no legal counsel, and no african-americans were permitted in the jury. all defendants, including patterson, were convicted. the communist party of the united states assisted the defendants and appealed to the supreme court, which overturned the convictions in 1932 (in the "powell v. alabama" decision) due to lack of legal counsel.