Source: Facebook / facebook
The circumstances surrounding his death Illinois Truck driver Javion Magee's similarities to a lynching have sparked outrage and concern on social media.
A young black truck driver from Chicago, Illinois named Javion Magee was found dead in a rural area of North Carolina last Wednesday (September 11). Since then, social media users have been outraged at the way Magee was found with a rope around his neck leaning against a tree near his truck, suggesting he had been lynched.
“It's a lot of holes in this case, it's a lot of questions and there aren't enough answers in this case,” family spokeswoman Candice Matthews said in an interview with ABC7 Chicago. “There is no transparency in this case. This family wants transparency, this family wants accountability, this family wants justice.” In a post on X, formerly Twitter, a user named Pier Jaree who claims to be Magee's cousin accused authorities in Henderson of preventing the family from identifying the body.
My cousin Javion Magee was found hanging from a tree in Henderson, NC. They won't let his mom identify the body because of “coronavirus restrictions” that scream disgusting. Please circulate!! @AttorneyCrump @aclu_nc @ABC11_WTVD @ABC7Chicago @nbcchicago
— Pier Jarae (@UrbanBlackGirl) September 12, 2024
Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame spoke to the media on Friday (September 13) about the incident, confirming Magee's condition. information to the family and that's not true,” Brame said. “There's been word out there that there's a lynching in Vance County. There is no lynching in Vance County. The young man was not hanging from a tree. He wasn't swinging from a tree. The rope was wrapped around his neck. It wasn't a noose. There was no knot in the rope, so it wasn't a lynching here in Vance County.”
Brame also confirmed that Magee's body was sent to the medical examiner for a preliminary autopsy, where their results showed the body showed no signs of a defensive struggle. He also said he would not rule it a suicide, although he said there were no signs of foul play. Brame also confirmed that the FBI was involved in the investigation. The information did not convince many on social media, who along with Magee's family members are calling for more law enforcement involvement and noting similarities in the police response to what happened in Sandra Bland's death.
Check out the responses to Magee's death below.
