Killing of Tom Jones Jr. in Mississippi in 1945

Incident

Case summary

Tom Jones Jr. (1921 - 1945), a longshoreman, was killed by David McDonald, a night watchman, in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. A bus driver struck Jones in the head with a blackjack when Jones asked for his luggage. The bus driver claimed Jones was rude when he asked for his luggage: “N…r, can’t you say ‘yes sir,’” the driver claimed. The luggage was stored in a compartment in the lower part of the bus. The driver left his bus and returned with the watchman, McDonald, who proceeded to shoot Jones. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

Tom Jones Jr.


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Buddy Dawson

David McDonald

Richard Whitaker

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1945-09-08
Location: Woodville, Wilkinson County, Mississippi
Location type: public conveyance
Allegation against victim: arguing with a Greyhound bus driver; attacking a white man

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

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

FBI case ID:

Jackson 44-64

DOJ case ID:

144-41-47


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
census records - closed
correspondence
death certificates
federal agency records
news articles - closed
police reports
portraits
Data Fields
To learn more about data fields, refer to the data dictionary.
Cite this Page
Refer to how to cite.