Killing of Esau Copeland in Georgia in 1952

Incident

Case summary

Esau Copeland (1914 - 1952), a farmer and bootlegger, was killed in a car crash with H. B. Moore, a state revenue agent in Meriwether, Georgia. Copeland’s family reported that he was robbed and killed by the Meriwether county sheriff S. H. Gill and his deputies. An FBI investigation reported that the allegation was unfounded and that Gill and his deputies were not present in the incident. The investigation stated that Copeland, allegedly a bootlegger, died from injuries sustained from the crash following the chase by Moore.

Victim(s):

Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:
Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1952-10-30
Location: Warm Springs, Meriwether County, Georgia
Location type: public space - rural
Allegation against victim: bootlegging

Coroner process
Coroner/inquest: [ ]
Finding of no legal responsibility: [ ]

Criminal process
Arrest: [ ]
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: [ ]
Trial: [ ]
Conviction: [ ]
Sentence: [ ]

FBI case ID:

Atlanta 44-494

DOJ case ID:

144-19-189


Document(s):
census records - closed
death certificates - closed
federal agency records
military documents - closed
news articles - closed
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