Killing of Walter Palmer in Mississippi in 1947

Incident

Case summary

Walter Palmer (1918 – 1947), a public worker, farmer, and WWII veteran, was killed by an off-duty town marshal, Earl Adcock, in Hinds County, Mississippi. Palmer was at a café when Jerry Rainey, a Black man whom Palmer had a disagreement, reportedly called Adcock to arrest Palmer, alleging Palmer was carrying a gun and disturbing the peace. When Adcock arrived, he ordered Palmer outside of the café and shot him to deaath.

Victim(s):

Walter Palmer


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

Earl Adcock

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1947-11-15
Location: Edwards, Hinds County, Mississippi
Location type: public space - urban
Allegation against victim: exhibiting drunkenness; threatening people with a gun in a cafe; resisting arrest

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:

New Orleans 44-180

DOJ case ID:

144-41-73


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