Killing of Lovic M. Thomas in Georgia in 1953

Incident

Case summary

Lovic M. Thomas, 41, a WWII veteran, died in 1943 while a prisoner in Atlanta, Georgia. Thomas was serving a 40-day sentence for public drunkenness and was working on a prison construction crew when he suffered head trauma that proved fatal. Thomas’s injury may have been the result of falling from a truck, or of being hit by prison foreman Sam J. Smith.

Victim(s):

Lovic M. Thomas


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Sam J. Smith

Perpetrator group type: [ ]

Date of incident: 1953-04-20
Location: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
Location type: carceral location
Allegation against victim: not working and drinking on the job

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

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

DOJ case ID:

144-017-19


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