Killing of Moses Wynns in South Carolina in 1950

Incident

Case summary

Moses Wynns (1908 - 1950), a mechanic, was killed by police officer James Adams in Summerville, Dorchester County, South Carolina. Adams claimed he shot Wynn when serving a warrant involving a bad check, alleging Wynns resisted arrest. Wynns had been scheduled to testify before a federal grand jury in a civil rights case involving a different Summerville police officer. Grand jury declined to indict.

Victim(s):

Moses Wynns


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

James McNeil Adams

William B. Etheridge Jr.

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1950-09-30
Location: Summerville, Dorchester County, South Carolina
Location type: victim's home
Allegation against victim: passing bad checks; planning to testify against another police officer for shooting him a year previously

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: yes
Finding of no legal responsibility: yes

Criminal process
Arrest: yes
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: yes
Trial: yes
Conviction: no
Sentence: [ ]

DOJ case ID:

144-67-37


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
death certificates - closed
federal agency records
news articles - closed
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