Killing of Sylvester Hobdy in Alabama in 1953

Incident

Case summary

Sylvester Hobdy (1913 - 1953), a county worker, was killed by police officers R. F. Poole and Billy Turner in Selma, Alabama. Police officers were called to Hobdy’s house after he refused to take medication prescribed for his mental illness and chased his wife, children and a neighbor who came to help out of the house with a knife. Poole and Turner shot and killed Hobdy.

Victim(s):

Sylvester Hobdy


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Richard F. Poole

William Turner

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1953-04-29
Location: Selma, Dallas County, Alabama
Location type: victim's home
Allegation against victim: attacking a police officer

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

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

DOJ case ID:

144-3-88


Document(s):
census records - closed
court records
death certificates
federal agency records
military documents - closed
news articles - closed
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