James Ford Seale, a reputed Klansman who was convicted last year of conspiracy and kidnapping in connection with the drowning murder of two black teens in 1964 Mississippi, was sentenced to three life terms in prison last August — 43 years after the crime was committed. At his sentencing hearing, one of the victim's relatives said, "I hope you perhaps spend the rest of your natural life in prison thinking of what you did to Charles Moore and Henry Dee and how you ran for a long time but you got caught. I hope the spirit of Charles and Henry come to your cell every night and visit with you to teach you what it meant by love of your fellow man.”

That relatives hopes won't come to fruition. Yesterday, a three-judge panel from the Fifth Circuit Court Appeals ruled that the statute of limitations had expired by the time he went to trial and overturned his conviction.

"The more than 40-year delay clearly exceeded the limitations period," Judge Harold DeVoss wrote in the panel's ruling. "While we are mindful of the seriousness of the crimes at issue, we cannot abdicate our duty to faithfully apply a valid limitations period."

Seale's arrest and subsequent conviction was looked at by the FBI as an example of the bureau's continued efforts to close cold cases from the Civil Rights era. It's turned out to be not such a shining example after all, and since making an announcement early last year about these cold cases, very little progress has been made. [Source, Source]