The family of Javion Magee, a 21-year-old truck driver from Chicago, is demanding answers after he was found dead with a rope around his neck in a rural area of North Carolina on September 11.
Although the circumstances of Magee’s death have raised concerns of possible racial targeting, police however insist ‘he wasn’t lynched’, as per a Daily Mail report.
Magee’s body was discovered leaning against a tree, and this has sparked speculation and outrage by some members of his community on social media.
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His cousin shared a TikTok video accusing officials of mishandling the investigation and claiming that Magee’s mother was not allowed to identify the body of her own son.
@instinct3671 Please help my family in getting Justice for my little cousin #JavionMagee #Henderson #HendersonNC #Chicago #NAACP#JUSTICEFORJAVION #SAYHISNAME ♬ original sound – Instinct367
Vance County Sheriff Curtis R. Brame responded to these allegations, asserting that his office is being transparent and that the death is not being treated as a lynching. “There’s been information put out there that there’s a lynching—there is not a lynching,” Brame said. “The young man was not dangling from a tree. He was not swinging from a tree. The rope was wrapped around his neck. It was not a noose. There was not a knot in the rope, so therefore, it was not a lynching here in Vance County.”
For now, no arrests have been made in connection with Magee’s death, and authorities have not yet determined an official cause.
Brame also stated that there were no signs of foul play and declined to label the death a suicide until the autopsy is complete.
The FBI has been brought in to assist with the investigation.
Magee’s cousin said that he was in North Carolina for work as a truck driver and questioned the police’s handling of the case. She claimed that officers told the family Magee had gone to Walmart to buy a rope and then “hung himself,” but added, “We obviously don’t believe that.”
The family has expressed frustration with the authorities, stating they have not received sufficient information. In her TikTok video, Magee’s cousin said, “We really need your help… the police officers and coroner’s office are giving us a hard time.”
The family also claimed that Magee’s mother was not allowed to identify his body, reportedly due to COVID-19 restrictions. When she requested photographs for verification, they allegedly told her she “wouldn’t want to see your son like that.”
Magee’s family continues to seek answers and is urging the public to bring attention to the case. “This is just devastating for my family, and we really need to push this story out there,” his cousin said.
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office has not responded to requests for further clarification on the case, and investigation on the incident is ongoing, although an autopsy result is still however pending.
