Killing of Willie Ruth Mosley in Alabama in 1951

Incident

Case summary

Willie Ruth Mosely (1934 - 1951), an expectant mother, was killed by police officer Floyd Vinyard in Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama. A coroner returned a finding of justifiable homicide. Vinyard was not prosecuted. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

Willie Ruth Mosley


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Dewey M. Smith

Floyd H. Vinyard

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1951-04-29
Location: Gadsden, Etowah County, Alabama
Location type: private space - domestic
Allegation against victim: being involved in a domestic disturbance; attacking a police officer with an icepick; being pregnant with a police officer's child; having an illicit affair with a police officer; resisting arrest

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

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

FBI case ID:

Cleveland 44-54

Birmingham 44-223

DOJ case ID:

144-1-121

144-1-115


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