Well, I see it that way, in your first statement.
Just not anything there to drive a beyond a doubt conviction on a case nobody but Bragg wanted to pursue. His whole case was relying on bloodthirsty racists going along withe the program of convicting this guy for their "community"...
It is a good thing that failed, good for people wanting to fight back being made to be nothing but a victim...
The exoneration I get from a bridge too far/bridge not enough point of view depending what side your looking at...your hardcore racist probably saw that as a nothing penalty given their appetite for punishment and they were probably uninterested in putting in more time for a lesser charge to flip to same few who held out convicting and the higher charge...but I get the odd optics of the two outcomes...which I think indicates what a sketchy thing it is to rely on a jury to do a rogue prosecutors dirty work for them...
And, the other folks on the train being thankful for being rescued were a key reason the police et al never cared to pursue...and if convicted of one or both there would be a lot of appeals, likely all the way up the flagpole...and a new incoming POTUS probably eager to right a wrong if it happened...
