Story perspectives

Mississippi police confirm staged homicide in Tasia Fortune death

By Drooid · Sep 27, 2026, 2:14 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Mississippi Police Probe Hanging

Mississippi police say Tasia Fortune was dead before her body was staged hanging from a tree.
The Jackson medical examiner ruled the death a homicide and confirmed the scene was staged.
Jarques Ratliff, Earnest Lloyd Jr., and Eric Clark were arrested in connection with the homicide.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) urged DOJ and FBI investigations into black hanging deaths.

Summary

Ben Crump Demands Probe

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump joined calls for a federal investigation into the case.
U.S. Marshals Service is assisting Jackson police with the third arrest warrant.
Police chief RaShall Brackney referenced Mississippi’s history of racial violence during the hearing.
Fortune was buried at West End Cemetery, a historic Black cemetery in Greenville, Kentucky.
The case revived scrutiny of recent Black hangings in Mississippi, raising public concern.

History

Historical Context

On June 21 1964, three civil-rights workers—James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner—were abducted and killed in Neshoba County, prompting President Lyndon Johnson and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to send about 150 FBI agents and 400 Navy sailors, who searched the swamps. That federal response created a precedent that today’s Mississippi black-hanging case cites, as Rep. Ayanna Pressley and lawyer Ben Crump demand renewed DOJ and FBI investigation.

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Mississippi Police Probe Hanging

Mississippi police say Tasia Fortune was dead before her body was staged hanging from a tree.
The Jackson medical examiner ruled the death a homicide and confirmed the scene was staged.
Jarques Ratliff, Earnest Lloyd Jr., and Eric Clark were arrested in connection with the homicide.
Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) urged DOJ and FBI investigations into black hanging deaths.

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