Police in Mississippi said a black woman found hanging from a tree was already dead before her body was placed there. The revelation came in court on Friday, where a detective said they believe 29-year-old Tasia Fortune was killed in a drug-related dispute.
Fortune’s body was discovered in August hanging from a tree at an abandoned home in Jackson. The city, where most residents are black, has a history of racial violence and lynchings, which stirred fear and outrage after her death. Weeks of speculation followed until police made several arrests.
Jackson police said the medical examiner ruled Fortune’s death a homicide and confirmed the hanging was staged. Officials have not released the exact cause of death or explained why the hanging was faked.
Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, told the BBC the coroner told her, “We’re not treating this as [an] actual hanging.” She said police also told her the case was “drug related.” Spivey described how she knew her daughter fought to stay alive until the end.
“I know she did. I know my daughter,” Spivey said outside the Jackson Police Department on Friday. She said Fortune left behind four children, aged seven, five, four, and one.
Wearing a shirt that said “Justice for Tasia Fortune,” Spivey said she hopes police have arrested the right people. “I just hope they have the right people,” she said. “I don’t want to see any innocent people going to jail.”
Three people have been arrested in connection with the case. Jarques Ratliff, 51, pleaded not guilty and remains in custody without bail. Earnest Lloyd Jr, 25, was arrested this week. Eric Clark, 45, turned himself in on Friday and was charged with murder. Clark is due in court Monday.
Fortune’s death is one of several recent cases where black people have been found hanging, prompting calls from lawmakers for federal investigations. Representative Ayanna Pressley, a Democrat from Massachusetts, wrote a letter to Congress in September signed by over 50 lawmakers. The letter cited at least 10 such cases and urged the Department of Justice and FBI to investigate.
The latest case mentioned by Pressley happened in Prince George’s County, near Washington DC, where a hanging death was ruled a suicide on Sunday.
The details of Fortune’s death have added to concerns in Jackson, a city still grappling with its past. Police continue to investigate the circumstances that led to her death and the staged scene meant to mislead.
Spivey’s call for justice reflects a broader demand for truth in cases where deaths are linked to both crime and racial history. The story of Tasia Fortune remains a stark reminder of the challenges in untangling violence from fear in communities across the US.
According to Joy Online.
