Killing of Willie Racket in Louisiana in 1946

Incident

Case summary

Willie Racket (1900-1946), owner of a taxicab company, was killed by members of the Lee family in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. The Lee family had been unsuccessful in building their own taxicab business, and started threatening Racket. Minutes after Racket sought protection from the sheriff’s office, members of the Lee family shot him to death as he waited for a cab fare. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

Willie Racket


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

[given name unknown] Gills

[given name unknown] Hostard

[given name unknown] Lee

[given name unknown] Lee

Perpetrator group type: police

Date of incident: 1946-10-25
Location: Amite, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Location type: victim's workplace
Allegation against victim: holding jobs white men wanted; competing with white men who were taxi drivers

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

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

DOJ case ID:

144-32-76


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