SCLC #629 Arkansas state-police killing · ordered then countermanded

DOJ file 144-9-321 (“Newman—Charles”). Fatal shooting by Arkansas State Police in Pine Bluff; father’s account disputed burglary characterization; local coroner’s jury exonerated officer — conflicting reported accounts, not Commission fact-finding.

Civil Rights Division initially ordered a preliminary investigation, then countermanded because of Little Rock school tensions and FBI practice of notifying the governor’s office (Faubus) before investigating state-official misconduct. Closed Dec 17 1959 without any investigation, stating no evidence of federal-law violation. No written Division instruction suspending notification practice for this case is reported.

Primary: 61-006-U.pdf pp.59–62 note 155 p.221.