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Title
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Alabama Jail Deaths Touch Off Investigations
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Source Type
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Newspapers
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Publisher
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Los Angeles Sentinel
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Publication Place
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Los Angeles, CA
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Publication Date
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12/29/1966
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Transcript
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WETUMPKA, Ala. ---, James Earl Motley, 27, on, Nov. 20, was allegedly, clubbed to death here in the, Elmore County jail by a, white deputy. His death, touched off a chain of 10-, actions and investigations, revealing that several other, Negro prisoners have died, from beatings in the jail., According to Alabama, records, on July 12, 1966,, William Edward Young, 42,, died in the jail. His wife, disclosed he was taken from, her home by police and jailed despite her telling them, he was ill. A death certificate showed cause of death, was of a natural nature., On Dec. 10, 1960, Mal-, hew Wilkerson, 33, who had, been critically injured the, day before in a car accident, died in the jail, according to a death certificate., Sheriff Lester Holley, 60., who has been on the job, for 20 years. denies Negro, prisoners are subject to police brutality., This is the same town, that drew national attention, last May when it refused to bury Pfc Jimmy Williams,, 19, who was killed in action, in Vietnam. The city claim-, ed it only had space for, whites in the cemetery. Williams was buried in the national cemetery at Andersonville, Ga., The soldier's father,, Johnnie Williams said of, this little farm and timber, town of 5,000, that the "Negroes here are too afraid, to launch a civil rights, movement, and there are, too many Uncle Toms who, tell the white man everything.", The FBI is reportedly investigating the deaths.
