Killing of Bob White in Texas in 1941

Incident

Case summary

Bob White (1913-1941), a laborer in a scrap iron yard, was killed by W.S. Cochran in Conroe, Montgomery County, Texas. A white woman identified White as her rapist in a police line-up. White’s conviction and death sentence by a state criminal court was reversed on appeal. White was retried and again convicted and sentenced to death. The decision was reversed by the United States Supreme Court. As White sat in the defendant’s chair for his third trial, the woman’s husband, W.S. Cochran, shot and killed him. Trial jury acquitted Cochran. An essay on this case, researched and authored by a CRRJ student, is available on request.

Victim(s):

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

Date of incident: 1941-06-10
Location: Conroe, Montgomery County, Texas
Location type: public space - urban
Allegation against victim: raping a white woman

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

Criminal process
Arrest: yes
Charge/indictment/information: [ ]
Grand jury: yes
Trial: yes
Conviction: no
Sentence: [ ]

DOJ case ID:

158260-63


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