Killing of Eddie Gildersleeve in Alabama in 1940

Incident

Case summary

Eddie Gildersleeve (1881-1940), a farmer, blacksmith, and landowner, was killed by a sheriff in Wilcox County, Alabama. Gildersleeve had stopped at a gas station to fill up his car. The hose from the gas tank got caught on his bumper, and before he realized it, he had broken the hose. He apologized and offered to pay for the damage. Perhaps egged on by several drunken white men hanging around the station, the sheriff shot Gildersleeve. Gildersleeve was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

Victim(s):

Eddie Gildersleeve


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Walter Morgan

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1940-03-31
Location: Pine Hill, Wilcox County, Alabama
Location type: private space - commercial
Allegation against victim: being implicated in a broken fuel pump at a gas station

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

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


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
federal agency records
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