Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1947-08-09
Local Chapter ave and State NAACP
Send kilograms to Attorney General
URGE ARREST AND
PROSECUTION IN KILLING
OF WORLD WAR II VETERAN

Jackson, Miss - August a, ID
SN) - The local chapter of the
National Association for the Adj
vancement OF Colored People, the
State Association of Branches of
the NAACP, and the local chap
ter of the American Veterans
Committee early this week, urge
the United States Department of
Justice to arrest and prosecute
those responsible for the killing
of Versie Johnson, a Negro Vet
eran of World War II who was
shot to death following his ar
rest as suspect of rape, by CO.
unity and State law enforcement
officers at Prentiss, last Friday.
According to reports the Negro
veteran VISA shot to death follow
ing his arrest. when mob gath
cred about the Jail and told the
clerk of the Sheriff that he would
be given until eight o'clock to
obtain a confession from the Negro
veteran who had been arrested for
the alleged rape of a white wo-
man at Prentiss.
G. o. Berry, jefferson Davis
County Sheriff j. Spencer Puc-
!kett, and Andy Hopkins were re-
ported to have fired the fatal
shots. At local undertaking es-
tablishment the body of Johnson
was found with three pistol
wounds one shot entered the
chest, powder burns ON the skin
to show that it had been fired
at close range. Another shot en-
tered tn eback of the neck and an
other in the lower left arm.
At Prentiss, as District attor-
ney E. B. Williams at Popularville,
said that a full investigation
would be made and that wither
murder or manslaughter charges
would be made against the Sher-
iff and two highway Patrolmen,
there was much speculation re-
garding the alleged rape. No
wher eamong Negroes were there
any belief that Johnson had con-
fessed to the crime of rape as
reported. There were many how
ever who said that the case fol-
lowed the traditional pattern
where a negro evolved in such
a case is killed Immediately in
order to keep certain facts from
coming to light.
An article appearing on the
front page of one of the State
leading dailes sunday said, that
a high official of the Jefferson
Davis County Court said that the
trial Of the officers responsible
for the killing of the Negro vet
eran will be mere formality'.
The telegram of the local chap
ter of the American Veterans
Committee, identical in meaning
and implications with that sent
by the local chapter of the Ma
ACP and the State association of
branches is as follows:
Attorney General Tom c. Clark
u. S Department of Justice
Washington, D. c.
The local chapter of the Amer
lean Veterans Committee urge
the arrest and prosecution under
existing Fedora lCivil Rights ST.
atutes those responsible for the
murder of Versie Johnson, a Neg
70 feteran of World War II, at
Prentiss Mississippi, Friday night
August l, under the pretext of a
suspect of rape. t-r-r'&-lA
The almost daily arrest of Neg
70 men in Mississippi during the
last few days as suspects of rape
and attempt rape upon the most
doubtful and or meagre evidence
has caused the almost complete
breakdown in local law enforce
neat and is spreading blanket
of fear and apprehension over
the Negro citizens of the state.
Signed: The Jackson Chapter OF
American Veterans.