 
Urbanoutdoors
Member
Username: Urbanoutdoors
Post Number: 216
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 11:29 am: |    |
I have been doing research on The DPD during 1962-1963 and I was wondering if anyone remembers or has any articles on this murder? |
Swiburn
Member
Username: Swiburn
Post Number: 108
Registered: 07-2006
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 11:41 am: | |
Have you checked the Detroit News and Free Press microfilm? I don't know if the "News" has an index from that year; you may have to hunt.
Can you give some background on the case? |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 1823
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 11:52 am: | |
July 13, 1963
A MASS DEMONSTRATION CALLED BY THE NEGRO ORGANIZATION WAS STAGED AT DETROIT POLICE HEADQUARTERS TODAY OVER THE PROTEST OF THE FATAL SHOOTING JULY 5th OF 24 YEAR OLD CYNTHIA SCOTT.
Another reference says that about 100 people showed up, but it was suggested that 2000 were expected.
I have no other details.
(Message edited by PSIP on April 20, 2007) |
Urbanoutdoors
Member
Username: Urbanoutdoors
Post Number: 217
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 11:59 am: | |
These are my notes from police Commissioner George Edwards original manuscript.
Cynthia Scott, was shot to death by a Detroit police officer when she attacked him with a knife as he was trying to arrest her on a july night on Detroit’s lower east side. Edwards was informed while on his way to a conference in England. He then received a message from Millie Jeffrey the director of the community relations department for the UAW. Her version of what was happening was much different than anything he received from city sources. In the short time he was away in England he came home to fine that the program of reconciliation between the DPD and the black community was nearly in shambles.
The story that was circulating through the black community was much different.
The story was that Miss Scott was shot three times in the back with no excuses therefore except that she was a black prostitute. He had many questions following the conflicting reports. The first was whether in fact this was a willful killing and if so, whether regardless of the closing of the case by higher authority, I had a responsibility to summon the officer before a police trial board for possible discharge. The second question was if the facts as I was assured from official sources were exculpatory how we could go about stilling the tumult which the event had produced without it leading to a major riot.
He decide to go on WWJ television and announce what his 10 day investigation had come up with emphasizing the progress the city had made and that the officers had followed procedure but fired unnecessary 2nd and third shots and would not return to patrol duty. 202-205 Edwards still had doubts and was confused as to why the Mayor and Girardin had not called him back o Detroit. The controversy had cast a blemish on the equal rights program which he brought to the department. He felt responsible for Cynthia Scotts death since he was not at his post and was in England. 206-207 |
Psip
Member
Username: Psip
Post Number: 1824
Registered: 04-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 20, 2007 - 12:06 pm: | |
As I understand it, WWJ donated all of their pre 1980 films and tapes to Wayne State University.
It is very possible WSU has a film about that investigation. I doubt that any of it is available for review or is even indexed. |
Erikto
Member
Username: Erikto
Post Number: 545
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007 - 4:22 pm: | |
Didn't the police officers interviewed in Hersey's book The Algiers Motel Incident discuss this case as well as a couple of others? |