O. D. Henderson: Difference between revisions

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'''O. D. "O'Dee" Henderson''' (born [[April 16]], [[1915]] in Clark County; died [[May 9]], [[1940]] at [[Fairfield City Hall]]) was a "catcher" at [[Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad company]]'s [[Fairfield Tin Mill]], and the victim of homicide at the hands of the [[Fairfield Police Department]].
'''O. D. "O'Dee" Henderson''' (born [[April 16]], [[1915]] in Clark County; died [[May 9]], [[1940]] at [[Fairfield City Hall]]) was a "catcher" at [[Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad company]]'s [[Fairfield Tin Mill]], and the victim of homicide at the hands of the [[Fairfield Police Department]].


Henderson was the son of Ben and Lillie (Wilson) Henderson of Clark County. The family later moved to 121 [[10th Street North]] in [[Birmingham]]. Early on the morning of May 9, 1940<!--or perhaps the day before-->, O. D. Henderson, an African American, bumped into a fellow TCI employee, [[M. M. Hagood]], a Caucasian, in front of the mill office in [[Westfield]]. Hagood found Fairfield police officer [[W. T. Glenn]] nearby and reported that Henderson had knocked him to the ground. Glenn held Henderson at bay while Hagood exacted retribution by beating him, then took him into custody and drove him to City Hall in his squad car.
Henderson was the son of Ben and Lillie (Wilson) Henderson of Clark County. The family later moved to 121 [[10th Street North]] in [[Birmingham]]. Early on the morning of May 9, 1940<!--or perhaps the day before-->, O. D. Henderson, an African American, bumped into a white fellow TCI employee, [[M. M. Hagood]], in front of the mill office in [[Westfield]]. Hagood found Fairfield police officer [[W. T. Glenn]] nearby and reported that Henderson had knocked him to the ground. Glenn held Henderson while Hagood exacted retribution by beating him, then took Henderson into custody and drove him to [[Fairfield City Hall]] in his squad car.


After arriving at the station, Henderson was bound to a chair in the city jail where Hagood and another officer, [[Thomas Nelson]], continued to beat him with their fists, a blackjack, a leather strop and a section of rubber hosepipe, ignoring pleas for mercy. Glenn, along with [[D. M. Flourney]] and Sergeant [[W. G. Cook]], witnessed the beating. Another officer, [[Ed Taylor]], heard it from an adjacent room. Officer Nelson then shot Henderson three times in the chest, killing him.
After arriving at the station, Henderson was bound to a chair in the city jail where Hagood and another officer, [[Thomas Nelson]], continued to beat him with their fists, a blackjack, a leather strop and a section of rubber hosepipe, ignoring pleas for mercy. Glenn, along with [[D. M. Flourney]] and Sergeant [[W. G. Cook]], witnessed the beating. Another officer, [[Ed Taylor]], heard it from an adjacent room. During the beating, Nelson shot Henderson three times, once in the abdomen and twice in the chest, killing him.


Henderson's body was taken to [[Lloyd Noland Hospital|TCI Hospital]], on the pretense that he had been killed in an auto accident. He was examined there by [[Bessemer Cutoff]] [[Jefferson County Coroner|coroner]] [[T. J. Collum]]. The death by gunshot was ruled a homicide. Henderson's brother, Clark, claimed his body and the family buried him at the [[Oakdale Cemetery]] in [[Brighton]].
Henderson's body was taken to [[Lloyd Noland Hospital|TCI Hospital]], on the pretense that he had been killed in an auto accident. He was examined there by [[Bessemer Cutoff]] [[Jefferson County Coroner|coroner]] [[T. J. Collum]]. The death by gunshot was ruled a homicide. Henderson's brother, Clark, claimed his body and the family buried him at the [[Oakdale Cemetery]] in [[Brighton]].


Fairfield's police chief suspended Nelson for 30 days to conduct an investigation. With the support of [[Mayor of Fairfield|Mayor]] [[Claude Gilley]] and at the vehement urging of Methodist minister [[Ted Hightower]] the [[Fairfield City Council]] deliberated whether to dismiss all three officers involved during a public meeting on [[May 23]]. Sergeant Cook testified that during his three years with the department, about 20 or 30 beatings of prisoners had taken place under similar circumstances. The motion to dismiss Cook and Glenn from the department failed on a 5-4 vote.  
Fairfield's police chief suspended Nelson for 30 days to conduct an investigation. With the support of [[Mayor of Fairfield|Mayor]] [[Claude Gilley]] and at the vehement urging of Methodist minister [[Ted Hightower]] the [[Fairfield City Council]] deliberated whether to dismiss all three officers involved during a public meeting on [[May 23]]. Sergeant Cook testified that during his three years with the department, about 20 or 30 beatings of prisoners had taken place under similar circumstances. The motion to dismiss Cook and Glenn from the department failed on a 5-4 vote. A week later the Council did vote to dismiss Nelson and Glenn, and recommended that the [[Jefferson County Personnel Board]] should review Cook's involvement.


Nelson was charged with manslaughter in the first degree. [[Arthur Shores]] and attorneys working for the [[NAACP]] participated in the prosecution. Nelson pleaded not guilty by reason of self-defense and was found not guilty at trial.  
Nelson was initially charged with manslaughter in the first degree and Cook was charged with assault, and with conduct unbecoming an officer and detrimental to public service. A grand jury returned indictments of Nelson, Glenn and Cook for second-degree murder.  [[Arthur Shores]] and attorneys working for the [[NAACP]] participated in Nelson's prosecution before Judge [[Gardner Goodwyn]] in June. Nelson pleaded not guilty by reason of self-defense, claiming that Henderson, who was still handcuffed, had tried to take hold of his blackjack during the beating. An "X-ray expert" who testified in court claimed that Henderson exhibited skull fractures that could have caused his death. The jury found Nelson not guilty after three hours of deliberation.


==References==
==References==
* [http://nuweb9.neu.edu/civilrights/wp-content/uploads/Hendersons-death-Cert.pdf Certificate of Death of O. D. Henderson] (May 9, 1940) Alabama Center for Health Statistics
* [http://nuweb9.neu.edu/civilrights/wp-content/uploads/Hendersons-death-Cert.pdf Certificate of Death of O. D. Henderson] (May 9, 1940) Alabama Center for Health Statistics
* "Mystery Surrounds Slaying of Negro Prisoner in Fairfield" (May 10, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 22
* "Suspended Fairfield Officer Under Bond in Death of Prisoner" (May 11, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 2
* "Policeman Who killed Negro Prisoner Faces Manslaughter Charge." (May 12, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 26
* "Move by Fairfield's Mayor for Dismissal of Policeman Fails." (May 14, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 1
* "Council In Fairfield Votes to Drop Accused Policeman" (May 23, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 12
* "Murder in Second Degree Laid to Four in Fairfield Shooting" (May 24, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 1
* "[http://nuweb9.neu.edu/civilrights/wp-content/uploads/Handcuff-Murder-Pittsburgh-Courier-May-25-1940.pdf 'Handcuff Murder' Of Jailed Man Had Been 'Whitewashed']" (May 25, 1940) ''Pittsburgh Courier''
* "[http://nuweb9.neu.edu/civilrights/wp-content/uploads/Handcuff-Murder-Pittsburgh-Courier-May-25-1940.pdf 'Handcuff Murder' Of Jailed Man Had Been 'Whitewashed']" (May 25, 1940) ''Pittsburgh Courier''
* "[http://nuweb9.neu.edu/civilrights/wp-content/uploads/See-Crushed-Body-Pittsburgh-Courier-May-25-1940.pdf See Crushed Body Of O'Dee Henderson]" (May 25, 1940) ''Pittsburgh Courier''
* "[http://nuweb9.neu.edu/civilrights/wp-content/uploads/See-Crushed-Body-Pittsburgh-Courier-May-25-1940.pdf See Crushed Body Of O'Dee Henderson]" (May 25, 1940) ''Pittsburgh Courier''
* "Unbecoming Conduct Charged to Fairfield Desk Sergeant Cook." (June 7, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 31
* "Two Officers on Stand for Defense in Trial of Thomas Nelson." (June 18, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 18
* "Ex-Fairfield Officer Exonerated by Jury in Slaying of Negro." (June 20, 1940) {{BN}}, p. 9


==External links==
==External links==

Latest revision as of 18:25, 14 September 2019

O. D. "O'Dee" Henderson (born April 16, 1915 in Clark County; died May 9, 1940 at Fairfield City Hall) was a "catcher" at Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad company's Fairfield Tin Mill, and the victim of homicide at the hands of the Fairfield Police Department.

Henderson was the son of Ben and Lillie (Wilson) Henderson of Clark County. The family later moved to 121 10th Street North in Birmingham. Early on the morning of May 9, 1940, O. D. Henderson, an African American, bumped into a white fellow TCI employee, M. M. Hagood, in front of the mill office in Westfield. Hagood found Fairfield police officer W. T. Glenn nearby and reported that Henderson had knocked him to the ground. Glenn held Henderson while Hagood exacted retribution by beating him, then took Henderson into custody and drove him to Fairfield City Hall in his squad car.

After arriving at the station, Henderson was bound to a chair in the city jail where Hagood and another officer, Thomas Nelson, continued to beat him with their fists, a blackjack, a leather strop and a section of rubber hosepipe, ignoring pleas for mercy. Glenn, along with D. M. Flourney and Sergeant W. G. Cook, witnessed the beating. Another officer, Ed Taylor, heard it from an adjacent room. During the beating, Nelson shot Henderson three times, once in the abdomen and twice in the chest, killing him.

Henderson's body was taken to TCI Hospital, on the pretense that he had been killed in an auto accident. He was examined there by Bessemer Cutoff coroner T. J. Collum. The death by gunshot was ruled a homicide. Henderson's brother, Clark, claimed his body and the family buried him at the Oakdale Cemetery in Brighton.

Fairfield's police chief suspended Nelson for 30 days to conduct an investigation. With the support of Mayor Claude Gilley and at the vehement urging of Methodist minister Ted Hightower the Fairfield City Council deliberated whether to dismiss all three officers involved during a public meeting on May 23. Sergeant Cook testified that during his three years with the department, about 20 or 30 beatings of prisoners had taken place under similar circumstances. The motion to dismiss Cook and Glenn from the department failed on a 5-4 vote. A week later the Council did vote to dismiss Nelson and Glenn, and recommended that the Jefferson County Personnel Board should review Cook's involvement.

Nelson was initially charged with manslaughter in the first degree and Cook was charged with assault, and with conduct unbecoming an officer and detrimental to public service. A grand jury returned indictments of Nelson, Glenn and Cook for second-degree murder. Arthur Shores and attorneys working for the NAACP participated in Nelson's prosecution before Judge Gardner Goodwyn in June. Nelson pleaded not guilty by reason of self-defense, claiming that Henderson, who was still handcuffed, had tried to take hold of his blackjack during the beating. An "X-ray expert" who testified in court claimed that Henderson exhibited skull fractures that could have caused his death. The jury found Nelson not guilty after three hours of deliberation.

References

External links

  • O. D. Henderson at the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project (CRRJ) of the Northeastern University School of Law.
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