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[EdibleKnife]

It's been almost two weeks since Rexdale Henry died in a Mississippi jail. Today, the civil rights activist and Choctaw tribe member's family is still looking for answers.

On July 14 at 10 a.m., authorities at the Neshoba County Jail in Philadelphia, Mississippi, allegedly found Henry dead in his cell. They claimed to have seen him alive for the last time just half an hour earlier, at 9:30. The 53-year-old's family told Fusion that two of Henry's ribs had been broken, though his official cause of death remains unclear. The Jackson Free Press reports that his body has been "flown to Florida for an independent autopsy paid for by anonymous donors."

He'd apparently been arrested for failing to pay an old fine.

This summer, we have witnessed numerous deaths of people in police custody, some prompting suspicion of foul play and law enforcement complicity. Sandra Bland, 28, in Waller County Texas, and Kindra Chapman, 18 in Homewood County, Alabama, were both found dead of alleged suicide in their respective jail cells earlier this month, drawing widespread attention to police maltreatment of black women and girls.

But Henry's case conjures another overlooked disparity: Police violence against Native Americans. Mic reported previously that indigenous people in the United States have been killed by police at nearly identical rates as black Americans since 1999. Yet anti-indigenous state violence — much like anti-black state violence, until very recently — remains a topic many are loath to seriously address.

Henry is the second person in the last year to die in the Neshoba County jail, according to the local news station WTOK.

The Neshoba County Sheriff is currently facing a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit as result of a November 2014 inmate death at the jail.

Michael D. McDougle Sr., 29, was found dead in an isolated holding cell in the jail in November 2014. The autopsy found a mix of drugs in McDougle’s system and a head injury, according to the Clarion Ledger.

Mic
Bustle
Fusion

 

[Chmpocalypse]

Mic
Bustle
Fusion

Motherfuckers.

 

[TheGreatDirector]

Although it would be good to wait for the private autopsy for the cause of death it is sad hearing more of and more of these stories come out. Hearing how overlooked violence against Native Americans is even in comparison to other minorities is truly upsetting.

 

[Fuchsdh]

I wasn't even aware there was a federally-recognized Choctaw tribe in Mississippi.

None of the news articles mention a state autopsy for Henry, just a private one underway—it seems one was performed, so why isn't it mentioned?

 

[akira28]

Although it would be good to wait for the private autopsy for the cause of death it is sad hearing more of and more of these stories come out. Hearing how overlooked violence against Native Americans is even in comparison to other minorities is truly upsetting.

There are so few Native Americans, but so many of the men end up going through the legal justice system at some point in their lives. And a lot of them end up lost in the system, caught between federal and state law and their status as citizens of a native territory. Lots of untold stories there and none of them good.

 

[TheOMan]

Jail and death for an old fine. Seriously.

SMH.

 

[Branduil]

If not for the utter chaos it would cause, I'd suggest firing every single person involved in criminal justice and starting over from scratch.

 

[EdibleKnife]

I was going to post this yesterday, but since there isn't a lot of evidence right now, I figured I'd hold off. Not brave enough heh.

I also thought not a lot of people would care, sadly. It's a huge story right now in Native circles though.

Also haven't posted about the theft of Apache land by oil companies. Again, I figured not a lot of people would care.

I debated not posting too for the same reasons. Honestly, I would have missed this story because a lot of media outlets don't seem to care either. The sources on this story are so scant but the news is still important. My philosophy is post and hopefully at least one person gives a little bit of a care enough to learn something even if the topic falls to the double digit pages the next day. I wouldn't mind reading about the Apache land story myself.

 

[Ettie]

Got a bunch of Native kids running around where I work, young teens mostly. Stuff like this makes me so scared for them.

 

[Tomita]

I was going to post this yesterday, but since there isn't a lot of evidence right now, I figured I'd hold off. Not brave enough heh.

I also thought not a lot of people would care, sadly. It's a huge story right now in Native circles though.

Also haven't posted about the theft of Apache land by oil companies. Again, I figured not a lot of people would care.

I know I'm part of the problem, since I didn't comment on this thread until now...but I appreciated seeing this thread, even though I knew not what to say about it. And I would have appreciated seeing a thread like yours too. Native American / First Nation news (good or bad) rarely gets any attention, but I would still like to be aware of stuff like this. I have a headache right now so I'm sorry if none of this is coming out right...

You said it's a huge story in Native circles (understandably)...Do you happen to have any links to websites that are into reporting this sort of stuff, or did you mean your social group when you said "circles"?

 

[YoungHav]

R.I.P.

The national media isn't going to report shit about Native Americans. They are the most out of sight out of mind people in the U.S., while Patriots keep railing about Mexicans sneaking into "their" country.

Their incarceration rates are disproportionate as hell in Wisconsin, and I'm sure other states as well. I haven't met a Native American since the 4th grade when one attended my grade school. The teachers were uncomfortably nice to her and kept reminding us that she was a Native American.

 

[Slayven]

More things change the more they stay the same

 

[Tomita]

Mostly my social group, yeah. I might write up a thread on what's happening with Oak Flat right now because it's really, really fucking depressing. Some 'fringier' sites are covering these things, but main stream media isn't, so it's always hard finding legit sources that aren't just rumors. No one gives a fuck, so no one important is going to be covering these things.

Edit:

I made a thread for Oak Flat. I am not sure it's going to get much attention, but at least I tried.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1085625

That's all right. I've done research on various tribes for multiple years and always really struggled with it, and I wondered if I was just being a dumbass or not...guess not? Maybe? Heh.

Spoiler

I could probably try harder by actually getting involved in local places but I'm white and don't wanna give the wrong impression and have social issues welp.

Seeing your thread is great, even if the news is terrible. I know at least some people around here care, so really, thanks.

 

[Neverism]

RIP

I appreciate the post, thanks for taking the time to help spread some awareness!

Also: