Killing of Prinest McCann in Alabama in 1945

Incident

Case summary

Prinest McCann (1922 - 1945), a truck driver and WWII veteran, was killed by police officer Melvin Porter in Mobile County, Alabama. McCann was walking to the grocery store to buy eggs and stopped to observe a dice game when Porter and another police officer, Patrick Gibney, drove up. Porter shot McCann twice in the head from his car window, killing him. Porter later alleged that McCann resisted arrest and attacked the officer. The FBI opened an investigation into the murder but closed the case citing insufficient evidence to overcome the police officers’ claim of self-defense. 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: 1945-07-07
Location: Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama
Location type: public space - urban
Allegation against victim: being present at a dice game; attacking a police officer

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

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

FBI case ID:

Birmingham 44-88

DOJ case ID:

144-3-14


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