News
Director aTtached
We have attached filmmaker Michael Matteo Rossi to direct Summary Justice, a film adaptation based on the tragic, true story of James T. Scott's lynching in Columbia, Missouri in 1923.
Production is currently expected to begin in the spring of 2027. The film will bring renewed attention to a devastating chapter in American history.
Summary Justice follows Scott, a Black husband, father and University of Missouri janitor who was indicted after being accused of assaulting a 14-year-old White girl. Despite maintaining his innocence and having evidence supporting his whereabouts, Scott was taken from the Boone County Jail by a mob before he could stand trial.
On April 29, 1923, Scott was marched through the streets of Columbia and lynched from the Stewart Road Bridge as a crowd of two thousand people watched. Evidence examined after his death raised serious questions about the accusation against him and pointed toward another suspect. That suspect was never tried for the crime Scott was accused of, but he was convicted of raping a Black girl, just a week before the White girl.
Rossi said he immediately recognized the importance of bringing Scott’s story to the screen and understands the responsibility that comes with depicting such painful historical events.
The project is based on Doug Hunt’s book, Summary Justice: The Lynching of James Scott and the Trial of George Barkwell. Hunt and Joe Rufo adapted the story into a screenplay titled Summary Justice: A Lynching in College Town.
The story also examines the trial of George Barkwell, who was accused of playing a leading role in the mob and pushing Scott from the bridge. Although Barkwell was indicted for murder, he was ultimately acquitted. No one was convicted for Scott’s death.
Beyond recounting the events surrounding the lynching, the film is expected to examine the institutional failures, racial prejudice and inflammatory public rhetoric that allowed the mob to form and act without meaningful resistance. It will also highlight those who attempted to defend Scott, including members of the legal community and Scott's church.
Rossi is a Los Angeles-based director, writer and producer whose previous feature work includes Chase, Shadows and Misogynist. With Summary Justice, the filmmaker will move into historical drama while seeking to preserve the humanity of Scott and the family whose lives were permanently changed by his murder.
August 9, 2025
"Full Circle"
Dr. Lashawn Scott, great-granddaughter-in-law, and Kya Scott, great, great-granddaughter of James Scott were honored by the members of the Second Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia, MO on Sunday, August 3rd. This is the same church James Scott attended and was married in. Both women, from the Chicago area, were presented with the flag that was used to honor James at the grave monument dedication ceremony held in his honor in 2011. To see the video, click HERE.
