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Title
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NEGRO'S JAIL DEATH CALLED AN ACCIDENT
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Source Type
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Newspapers
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Publisher
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New York Times
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Publication Place
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New York, NY
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Publication Date
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01/14/1976
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Transcript
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NEGRO'S JAIL DEATH, CALLED AN ACCIDENT, Special to The New York Times, WETUMPKA, Ala., Jan. 13-, The Elmore County coroner said, today that he had issued a for-, mal opinion that an "accident", probably caused the death of a, Negro who was taken dead, from his jail cell in November., The coroner, Dr. Joseph R., Benson, said that law enforce-, ment officers did not deny that, James Earl Motley had been, beaten. But they insist that he also suffered two accidental, falls., "And when I filled out the, death certificate," Dr. Motley, said, "I listed the probable, cause of death as accidental.", Three young Negroes have said, that Mr. Motley, an unmarried, laborer for a construction com-, pany, was riding with them, from Montgomery to Wetump-, ka when their car was stopped, -apparently for a license check, - by Elmore County Deputy, Sheriff Harvey Connor and an, unidentified man., Deputy Connor, the witness-, es went on, took Mr. Motley, from the car and, when state, e, troopers later arrived on the scene, began beating him on, the head with a black object, while the troopers stood by., Mr. Connor has declined to, comment.
