Tuesday, April 28, 2009

What We Know: Facts about Isadore Banks's murder

1. Chicago Defender (National edition) (1921-1967) June 26, 1954 Clipping

-Banks was wealthy, especially for a man of color in Arkansas at this time
-His body was discovered burned beyond recognition and chained to a tree
-Banks was missing since June 4th and remained missing for over a week.
-Only could be IDed by personal effects
-Truck found short distance away, it had been run till battery died
-Coroner T.H. McGough speculated gasoline was used to burn him
-Notably, his shoes remained on his feet and were still laced
-According to Bank’s wife, he disappeared after he went to pay his employees
-Banks owned almost 1,000 acres.
-Many whites coveted his land and paper speculates this was the cause of his murder
-The paper also speculates that Banks had been involved with several mistresses and thus had incurred the wrath of white men.
-Banks was heavy set, close to 300 pounds, more than one man likely participated in his murder
-Banks was not likely killed where he was found..no evidence of struggle at location.
-Banks had a loaded shotgun in his car, it was unfired suggesting he knew or trusted his assailants.
-He may also have been ambushed-He may have been dead before he was burned
-It was speculated that Banks may have been having an affair with a white woman and thus became a target. However this, as well as any other motive was not further investigated. The case seemed to evaporate into thin air.

5 comments:

  1. I am the granddaughter to Mr. Isadore Banks and I have been trying to find out more about grandfather for some time. The F.B.I said they had destroyed all pertinent evidence in his case and didn't have any suspects and closed the case in 1992. But, that's not fine enough for me.Would some one please reply to me.THANK YOU

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  2. I would like to help you find an answer to your painful question. All I can hope is that the men who did this have had long dark lives of pain. I am sorry for your family's loss and I wish this type of savagery would never happen again. The FBI should be sueed for their handling of this case. Good luck. Peace.

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  3. Tender Love,

    My name is Brian Hilburn, and I'm a law student at Northeastern University in Boston and I am working for the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project (CRRJ). We work on precisely these kinds of cases. I am actually working personally on your grandfather's case, and I've been looking for members of his family for several weeks now. I would talk to talk with you, and together figure out how we can right this horrible wrong. CRRJ recently settled a similar case in Mississippi against the County there. If you want to read more about that and learn more about CRRJ you can go to www.northeastern.edu/crrj. I should also let you know that I'm particularly interested in this case as I was born and raised in Arkansas. It would be an honor to help your family in some way. Here is my email: hilburn.brian@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you soon!

    Brian

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  4. I was just talking with my great uncle and found out he and my aunt were alive at the time when he was killed ny grandfather was best friends with Mr banks at the time he was killed not knowing anything about the story being public knowledge until now I am happy to tell the story of what they know Mr Banks was indeed wealthy he had a daughter at the time who was a tall woman they knew her personally but hadn't seen her over the years okey the story goes Mr banks was dating a white older lady he had jumped out a window when they chased him from the property some how my Grandfather had seen them persue him and got away he came in the house and told my grandmother that he believed that they had caught him the following day or so they had chased my Grandfather to kill him the same way because they believed he saw them he was arrested
    before they could lench him he of course stated he didn't know or see anything the story my aunt and uncle tells is that everyone in the area knows that the prominent locals as well as the police were involved so nothing
    could be said and that the real motivation was to take his property my uncle said he was bound to a chair or something with some type of wire he had a nane for it but sadly I dont recall and that he was tortured that the cut off his ears penis etc and that they burned his body with blow torches and had used several cans and thathe believes they even cut out his eyes all while alive and that he was a large man so there was alot of fat under him where he sat and soap from where they had burned his body so I was shocked to find this wasnt just another story from a old man as there are sadly many I am now motivated to talk more to them while they are alive so that things like this can be told

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  5. Mr. Timberwolf I don't know your family but, what was told you was not completely true. I have found so much out about my grandfather and have spoken to the children of the men or some of the men involved. They all tell the same story. My grandfather was a great man. He was big but not an inch of fat. He was at least 6'6" and about 300 lbs. The rest I'll keep. I guess everyone has their own version. Be blessed.

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