Killing of Jesse Lee Bonds in Tennessee in 1939

Incident

Case summary

Jesse Lee Bonds, 20, a tenant farmer, was killed in 1939 in Shelby County, Tennessee. Bonds' body was found in a drainage canal, apparently having been shot and beaten. Two white men, grocery store owner Charles Wilson and his associate William Johnson, led a band of white men who chased and shot Bonds over a $12 debt owed to Wilson. Wilson and Johnson were arrested and charged with Bonds' murder. They were later released by a judge.

Victim(s):

Jesse Lee Bonds


Alleged perpetrators/other named individuals:

William Johnson

Charles Wilson

Perpetrator group type: [ ]

Date of incident: 1939-04-28
Location: Arlington, Shelby County, Tennessee
Location type: public space - rural
Allegation against victim: having a $12 grocery debt; forging checks

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

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


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
death certificates - closed
federal agency records
news articles - closed
Data Fields
To learn more about data fields, refer to the data dictionary.
Cite this Page
Refer to how to cite.