Cpl. Roman Ducksworth Jr.
Birth date:
May 26, 1934
Death date:
April 9, 1962
Age at Death:
27
About
Cpl. Roman Ducksworth Jr. was a military police officer stationed in Fort Richie, Maryland. He had two parents, a brother, a wife, and six children. He was known to send gifts home to his family while he was deployed.
On April 9th, 1962, Cpl. Roman Ducksworth Jr. was sleeping on a bus, on his way to meet his wife and their newborn child, his sixth. The bus stopped in Taylorsville, Mississippi, and the bus driver summoned a Mississippi police officer after he was unable to wake Ducksworth. The officer repeatedly slapped Ducksworth to wake him and, mistaking him for a "freedom rider," attempted to escort him off of the bus. Ducksworth struck the officer, and the officer responded by repeatedly striking Ducksworth on the head with his baton. The officer then fired a shot into the ground and another shot into Ducksworth's heart. With his sister-in-law and nephew present, Ducksworth was declared dead on the scene.
Was justice served?
As of February 21st, 2021, justice has not been served. After the murder, court proceedings labelled Ducksworth as drunk, and ruled that the murder was a justifiable homicide. The case has not been opened since.