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A Question of Lynching in Mississippi

September 19, 2025

Two Black men in Mississippi - 21-year-old Delta State University student Trey Reed and 36-year-old homeless man Corey Zukatis - were recently found dead, hanging from trees in separate incidents. Reed's family received conflicting information about his death location and will conduct an independent autopsy after the state completes its report within 24 hours. Civil rights groups including the Equal Justice Initiative, NAACP, and Southern Poverty Law Center are involved, with Congressman Bennie Thompson calling for a federal investigation into both deaths.

Who is affected

  • Trey Reed, a 21-year-old Delta State University student, and his family
  • Corey Zukatis, a 36-year-old homeless man, and his family
  • The Black community in Mississippi
  • The local communities where these deaths occurred
  • Delta State University community

What action is being taken

  • A state autopsy of Trey Reed is currently underway
  • Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump is on the ground in Mississippi collaborating with civil rights groups
  • Reed's parents will perform an independent autopsy after the state procedure is complete
  • Both cases are under active investigation
  • Congressman Bennie Thompson is calling for a full federal investigation

Why it matters

  • The deaths have raised questions about whether they were suicides or potential lynchings
  • Mississippi is described as "long considered the most racist state in the nation"
  • These incidents evoke memories of Mississippi's history of racial violence
  • According to the Equal Justice Initiative, over 4,400 racial terror lynchings occurred in the US between Reconstruction and World War II
  • The Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act signed in 2022 established lynching as a federal crime carrying up to 30 years in prison

What's next

  • The state's report on Trey Reed will be completed in 24 hours
  • The Reed family will conduct an independent autopsy after the state's procedure is complete
  • Investigations into both deaths will continue
  • There are questions about whether the Trump administration will utilize the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act if there is a lynching conviction in these cases

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint