Died in jail or a lockup
One of 2 people whose names were not reported
A Black man died on February 28, 1946, after he was shot inside the Columbia county jail in Tennessee while being questioned by police. Police said he and another man reached for weapons. The NAACP and others say the men were unarmed, were beaten, and were then shot. The NAACP and the Southern Conference of Human Welfare pressed for the officers involved to be prosecuted.
Cause of death, as reported: Killed by staff (disputed). Police officers gave one account of the shooting during questioning, while the NAACP and others say the man was unarmed and was beaten and shot by officers.
Reported by: police officers; the NAACP (advocates); the Southern Conference of Human Welfare (advocates).