Mississippi has a long history of fractious race relations and coroner obstruction. Balko and Carrington reveal the history of institutional racism that allowed Steven Hayne and Michael West to succeed as well as they did. For decades, coroners would be complicit in lynching and racial violence with no consequences for the perpetrators.
How? Coroners would decide “cause of death unknown” for black men with obvious injuries and “death at the hands of persons unknown” without investigating.
Even now, the lack of justice for black victims and their families and lack of judicial support seems an insurmountable task to change state-wide. What were your thoughts as you were reading? Do you think the current political climate in America will have an effect on race relations described in the book?
How? Coroners would decide “cause of death unknown” for black men with obvious injuries and “death at the hands of persons unknown” without investigating.
Even now, the lack of justice for black victims and their families and lack of judicial support seems an insurmountable task to change state-wide.
What were your thoughts as you were reading? Do you think the current political climate in America will have an effect on race relations described in the book?