Autopsy Shows Head Injuries Fatal To Negro Allegedly Beaten by Deputy

Title

Source Type

Newspapers

Publisher

The Washington Post Times Herald

Publication Place

Washington, D.C.

Publication Date

12/03/1966

Transcript

Autopsy Shows Head Injuries Fatal To Negro Allegedly Beaten Deputy WETUMPKA, Ala., Dec. 2, A State autopsy report shows, that James Earl Motley, 27,, a Negro who witnesses say, was beaten Nov. 20 by a white, deputy sheriff, died of head, injuries., Officials have refused to, disclose details., The deputy remains on, duty. So do two State troopers who were with him at the, time of the beating. One of, four Negro witnesses told a, Times reporter that the troopers held Motley's arms while, the deputy clubbed his head, with a long, black object., Negro witnesses who were, in a car with Motley said he, had refused an order by the, deputy to get into his car., The car in which Motley was, a passenger was stopped for, a driver's license check. The, witnesses said the deputy accused Motley of being drunk,, but that Motley denied the, charge, declaring that he had, only had "two or three beers", after getting off work several, hours earlier., The autopsy report showed, an alcoholic content of .14 per, cent. Alabama courts and the, Montgomery Police Department define drunkenness as, a content of .15 per cent or, more., Meanwhile, the Alabama Journal disclosed that in addition to at least 6 negro witnesses in the case, three while person witnessed parts or all of the circumstances surround Motley's death. The FBI began a civil rights investigation in the case soon after newsmen began questioning witnesses. U.S. District Judge Daniel H. Thomas gave the counties 30 days to select new juries without discrimination by race or color or the court would appoint a panel to recompile the rolls

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See all items with this value James Earl Motley