Gee,it would be a damn shame if he died and everybody filmed on the statute at that time were charged with manslaughter,wouldn't it?
I was working in the body shop of the Cadillac dealer in Portsmouth,Va in the early 70's,and vaguely remember a story about two black "youts" who walked up behind a white sailor standing at a bus stop waiting for a bus,hit him back of the head,and then stomped him to death as he lay on the sidewalk.
I remember reading in the paper and seeing on the evening news that their NAACP lawyer stood up in court and tried to justify the murder in the eyes of the jury,many of whom were black,by saying something VERY close to "Show these young men mercy. They didn't know what they were doing because they were blinded by rage because they could feel the whips of the victims ancestors on the backs of their ancestors".
I don't think I ever heard the sentence,because I was more into chasing women and partying than I was teebee news at the time,but I wouldn't be surprised if they got reduced sentences.
Keep in mind,this was the early 1970's,and this crap is still going to today.