Witnesses Describe Circumstances Surrounding Death Of James Motley

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Author

Wayne Greenshaw

Publisher

The Montgomery Advertiser

Publication Place

Montgomery, AL

Publication Date

12/06/1966

Transcript

By WAYNE GREENHAW, Journal Staff Writer, WETUMPKA—Three white men have described the circumstances surrounding the death of 27-year-old James Earl Motley of Montgomery in the early morning hours of Nov. 20. Each of these men said they saw a part or all of the happenings that morning. The story, as they told it: Elmore County Deputy Sheriff Harvey Conner was parked on the south side of the Riverside Shell Service Station on U.S. Highway 231 at 1:30 a.m. on Nov. 20. At approximately 1:40 a.m., "a sky-blue 1960 Ford passed the service station on the highway traveling north toward Wetumpka. "Conner went after the car. A white station wagon Rambler pulled off from the filling station after the deputy car. Then a man in a red Chevrolet went after the Rambler," the witness said. "At the foot of Dad Smith Hill, Conner pulled the Ford over," according to the witness. À few minutes lapsed. A gun shot or blast was heard. Then, the witness said, the Rambler pulled up beside the deputy's, car. "A few minutes later two highway patrolmen came up, and, the Rambler left," the witness, said., "The two troopers got out of, their car. They went to the rear, of Conner's car, where Conner, had Motley stretched out across, the right rear fender., "I didn't see the troopers hold, Motley. They were just there,, as far as I could see," the, witness related., "A red Chevrolet came up and, passed, going toward Wetumpka. A car with four women in, it came by about the same time,, going toward Montgomery," the, account continued., "Conner put the Negro into, the deputy car and they left, toward Wetumpka," the witness, said., The witness' account continued, "From up on the hill, behind the jail, with a bird's, eye view, I saw Harvey (Conner) drag him (Motley) into, the jail. Motley didn't take a, step on his own.", At this time, shortly after 2, a.m., the witnesses, said city, police, deputies, state troopers, and other people were milling, around the town., "About 3 a.m., another witness said, "I heard him (Conner) make a phone call, and, I heard him (Conner) say, 'I believe the nigger is dead'." "At roughly 5 a.m. the coroner, (Dr. Joseph R. Benson) came, to the jail. He (Benson) went, inside and stayed just a few, minutes, then he came out and, got in his car and went to his, office where he stayed about, five minutes. He (Benson) drove, off toward Tallassee," the wit-, ness continued., "Claince Murkison (a Negro, funeral home attendant) came, to the jail at about daybreak,, after another Negro came up., Murkison carried a covered ob-, ject out of the jail and drove, it to the funeral home (Rose-Geeter Funeral Home in Wetumpka), and Conner went to, the funeral home., "A little after 6 a.m. a heavy-, set fellow driving a white 1960, Ford came to the funeral home, and went in." (Dr. Guy Pernell, of the State Toxicology Department made the examination.), "At 7:55 a.m. I saw Harvey, (Conner) and the man come, out. Harvey got in the front, seat with the man and they, went back to the jail," the witness said.

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