Killing of Ellis Hutson Sr. in Texas in 1948
Incident
Ellis Hutson, Sr. (1898-1948), a truck driver, was killed by Constable Travis Helpenstill in Nacogdoches, Texas. Hutson’s son Ellis Jr. had been beaten and arrested. Hutson went to the county courthouse to pay his son’s bail. Helpenstill, enraged that Ellis Jr. refused to plead guilty and sought to be bailed out, shot Hutson Sr. three times in the chest in a courthouse corridor. State trial jury acquitted. Federal trial court accepted nolo contendere plea and sentenced Helpenstill to 90 days, suspended. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.
advocacy group resources
- News article from the Chicago Defender regarding the slaying of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : July 9, 1949
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 8, 1948
- News article from Redland Herald about trial verdict for police murder of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 10, 1948
- News article from Chicago Defender about family of Ellis Hutson being awarded $500 following his murder : July 9, 1949
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : September 8, 1941
- News article from Pittsburgh Courier regarding police shooting of Ellis Hutson : March 27, 1948
- News article from the Daily Court Review regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : July 23, 1953
- News article from the Redland Herald regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : September 11, 1941
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : March 13, 1948
- News article from the Dallas Morning News regarding the murder of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : September 26, 1950
- News article from the Dallas Morning News regarding the murder of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 11, 1948
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 10, 1948
- News article from the Chicago Defender regarding the killing of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 12, 1948
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 9, 1948
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 2, 1948
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 1, 1948
- Chicago Defender 10_07_50
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 6, 1948
- News article from Redland Herald about jury selection in trail for policeman who killed Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 3, 1948
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : June 7, 1948
- Journalism: 2017-00788-HUTSON SR. Ellis (1053531567)
- News article from Pittsburgh Courier regarding Texas politics and murder of Ellis Hudson : April 17, 1948
- News article from the Daily Sentinel regarding the shooting of Ellis Hutson, Sr. : May 31, 1948
- News article from the Evening Journal regarding Travis Helpinstill : September 3, 1946
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