Killing of Charlie L. Smith in North Carolina in 1947

Incident

Case summary

Charlie L. Smith (1912-1947), a farmer, was killed in Angier, Harnett County, North Carolina. Smith reportedly got into an argument with a white man at a filling station. The man left the scene and returned with an armed mob. The mob struck an innocent passerby—Carl Cameron—then moved on in search of Smith. Smith was killed and his companion Daniel Bassford seriously wounded in a hail of bullets shot from a moving car. Governor R. Gregg Cherry refused to term the matter a lynching and refer it as such to the state Bureau of Investigation.

Victim(s):

Charlie L. Smith


Date of incident: 1947-11-22
Location: Angier, Harnett County, North Carolina
Location type: public space - rural
Allegation against victim: arguing with a white man

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

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


Document(s):
advocacy group resources
death certificates - closed
news articles - closed
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