The Nation - News from Jan. 16, 1989

The Rev. Jesse Jackson’s half brother, Noah R. Robinson, a Chicago millionaire businessman, goes on trial today in Greenville, S.C., charged in a murder-for-hire scheme that could send him to the electric chair. Selection of a 12-member jury in a heavily secured courtroom in Greenville County General Session Court is expected to take at least a day before the prosecution calls witnesses to try to prove that Robinson hired a Chicago gang to kill a lifelong friend whose son was Robinson’s god-child. Robinson will stand trial on murder and conspiracy charges stemming from the 1986 slaying of Leroy (Hambone) Barber, 43, described by Robinson and Barber associates as one of Robinson’s hometown friends.