Mississippi authorities are awaiting autopsy results for a Black student found hanging from a tree at Delta State University, a case stirring strong emotions in a state with a long history of racial violence.
The 21-year-old student was discovered near the campus pickleball courts early Monday. Police said they saw no evidence of foul play, but the family is demanding answers and has hired civil rights attorney Ben Crump.
Campus police Chief Michael Peeler offered few updates at a news conference, describing the death as an “isolated incident” and assuring there were no active threats to students or faculty.
“Out of respect for those grieving, we ask for continued patience and compassion as this investigation proceeds,” Peeler said.
The chief state medical examiner conducted an autopsy Wednesday, with preliminary findings expected within a day or two. Peeler confirmed video footage exists but did not disclose its content or source due to the ongoing investigation.
The student’s family urged university officials for more transparency at a Tuesday news conference. Family attorney Vanessa Jones said the student had just begun classes this fall and was “full of life, eager to be there.”
“There should have been cameras at the university that easily could enlighten us as to what happened,” Jones said, adding that they also want an independent autopsy.
Online rumors that the student had broken limbs were disputed by Bolivar County Coroner Randolph Seals Jr., who said a preliminary examination found no lacerations, contusions, fractures, or injuries consistent with assault.
Delta State President Dan Ennis acknowledged the emotional impact of the student’s death. “We recognize this is not only about facts. It’s about emotions and about feelings and the way this loss and how it was discovered affects people’s lives,” he said.
Social media posts about the case have drawn comparisons to historical racial terror in Mississippi, including the lynching of Emmett Till, whose body was found 30 miles from the Delta State campus.
Students expressed their distress over the incident. Marquon McKinney said many Black students were shaken, with some feeling that university officials were downplaying the situation.
Delta State, located in the Mississippi Delta near the Arkansas state line, had a fall 2024 enrollment of more than 2,600 students, 42% of whom are Black.
Ben Crump said he plans to lead an independent investigation alongside civil rights groups, and U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson has called for an FBI inquiry.
Leave a Reply