Killing of Ozola Bryant and Lewis Bryant in Mississippi in 1932

Incident

Case summary

Lewis Bryant, 61, a farmer, was killed in 1932 by William Clark Mitchell and Arthur Cook in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Mitchell and Cook came to Bryant's home to rob him. They beat Bryant, his wife Missouri Bryant and his son Coot Bryant, tied them to chairs, doused them with kerosene and set them on fire. Bryant and his son burned to death but his wife escaped and survived. A trial jury convicted. Cook was sentenced to life. Mitchell was sentenced to death, but Governor Hugh White commuted his sentence to life imprisonment. Ozola Bryant, 16, a farmer, son of Lewis Bryant and Missouri Bryant, was killed in 1932 by William Clark Mitchell and Arthur Cook in Yalobusha County, Mississippi. Mitchell and Cook came to rob the Bryants’ home. They beat Bryant and his parents–father Lewis Bryant and mother Missouri Bryant–tied them to chairs, doused them with kerosene and set them on fire. Bryant and his father burned to death but his mother escaped and survived. Trial jury convicted. Cook was given a life sentence. Mitchell was sentenced to death, but Governor Hugh White commuted the sentence to life imprisonment.

Victim(s):

Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:
Perpetrator group type: [ ]

Date of incident: 1932-07-11
Location: Oakland, Yalobusha County, Mississippi
Location type: victim's home
Allegation against victim: [ ]

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

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


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