Killing of Della McDuffie in Alabama in 1953

Incident

Case summary

Della McDuffie (1886-1953), a housewife and co-owner of a café with her husband Will McDuffie, was killed by police in Wilcox County, Alabama. Sheriff Lummie Jenkins and two other officers entered the McDuffies’ café and fired shots and beat patrons with blackjacks. Della was wheelchair-bound and unable to flee. The police beat her to death. A year later, her husband Will was found dead under suspicious circumstances. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

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

Date of incident: 1953-04-25
Location: Alberta, Wilcox County, Alabama
Location type: victim's workplace
Allegation against victim: being open past bar time while being targeted in a police raid on her cafe

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

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

FBI case ID:

Mobile 44-316

Mobile 44-272

DOJ case ID:

144-3-89


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