In December, the burial sites were unearthed in a cemetery designated for paupers located behind the Hinds County, Mississippi jail.

Ben Crump Calls for Investigation as 215 Bodies Found in Unmarked Graves Behind Mississippi Jail

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump is urging an inquiry following the discovery of 215 bodies buried in a pauper’s cemetery behind the Hinds County, Mississippi jail. The Chicago Crusader reports that the gravesites are marked with nothing more than a metal rod and a number.

In response to this revelation, Crump has collaborated with Reverend Hosea Hines, senior Pastor of the Christ Tabernacle Church and the national leader of A New Day Coalition for Equity and Black America. Together, they are calling for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the 215 deaths.

Addressing a congregation at the Stronger Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Crump expressed disbelief over the situation in Jackson, Mississippi. He emphasized the need to understand what is happening, from issues with non-existent or contaminated water to the discovery of a pauper’s graveyard.

Hines echoed Crump’s concerns, stating that it saddens him to know that the relatives of the deceased went so long without knowledge of where their loved ones were buried.

“It really saddens my heart to know that their relatives went that long, some over a year, not knowing if their loved ones were dead or alive and then coming to the realization that they had been buried in a pauper’s grave behind a jailhouse,” Hines said. “If they had been properly notified, they would have been able to pay their proper respect.”

Crump emphasized that it remains unclear whether the deaths were caused by “racism, prejudice, or bigotry.” The call for an investigation aims to bring transparency to this disturbing situation and provide answers for the affected families.