Killing of Sammie Lee Bland in Mississippi in 1953

Incident

Case summary

Sammie Lee Bland (1934 - 1953), dairy farm and grocery store worker and cotton picker, died in Grenada County, Mississippi. Bland dived into the Yalobusha river while being chased and possibly shot at by officer Sam Ferguson and police chief E. M. Crumby. Bland drowned. His body was recovered from the river about two weeks later. Bland had been chased for allegedly directing “abusive language” at Ferguson. According to an eyewitness account that was later recanted, the officers shot Bland in the temple and beat him with a blackjack. A circuit court judge dismissed a civil lawsuit by Bland’s family, which alleged Crumby caused Bland’s death. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

Sammie Lee Bland


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

E. M. Crumby

Sam H. Ferguson

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1953-11-10
Location: Grenada, Grenada County, Mississippi
Location type: public space - urban
Allegation against victim: assaulting a police officer; being drunk and disorderly

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

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

FBI case ID:

Memphis 44-307

DOJ case ID:

144-40-81


Civil lawsuits/claims filed: yes

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