An Oklahoma the judge has dismissed the case for restitution. The last three known survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre presented the case.
Viola Fletcher109, Lessie Benningfield Randle108 and Hughes Van Ellis102, sued the City of Tulsa and other entities in 2020—nearly 100 years after the deadly attack.
Support Group for Three Tulsa Riot Survivors Plans to Appeal Judge’s Dismissal
The court asked the city to build a hospital in north Tulsa and create a compensation fund, among other requests, according to Associated Press.
Seven defendants were named in the lawsuit, including the city of Tulsa, Tulsa County Sheriff Vic Regalado, and the Oklahoma Department of Defense. Fox news reports.
Friday, a Tulsa County District Court judge Caroline Wall He accused it of discrimination. Dismissal with prejudice means that the plaintiff cannot recover the same in the court, at Cornell Law.
When contacted by the AP on Sunday, lawyers for the three survivors would not say whether they plan to challenge Judge Wall’s decision. However, the group supporting the case-Justice for Greenwood-says they can file a return/appeal.
“Judge Wall condemned the three survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre to languish — to death — on Oklahoma’s docket,” the group said. “There is no such thing as justice or access to justice here.”
Related: Tulsa Massacre Happened Nearly 100 Years Ago Today As International Protests Against Police Violence Take Place
Judge Wall called himself a “Constitutional Conservative”. Wall says he dismissed the lawsuit based on the city’s conflict with the business district.
Since we are talking about the Tulsa Race Massacre todayhttps://t.co/muAX0DiaaC
– Allison Wiltz Psy.M. (@queenie4rmnola) July 7, 2023
Case Allegedly Continuation of Violence From 1921 Tulsa Riots, City, Judge Disagree
The case was filed under the state’s narcotics law. It said the actions of the 1921 Tulsa riots continue to affect Black Oklahomans today.
The court said that the victims were never compensated – by the insurance companies or the city – for the huge economic and financial losses that the black people in the city suffered as a result of the riots.
A lawyer for the Chamber of Commerce in the city initially said that the killing was horrific. However, he added that any disruptions it caused are not ongoing. Judge Wall ultimately sided with the city’s argument against each other.
Meanwhile, according to Fox News, Tulsa GT Bynum the great He says that while the city has yet to receive the full court ruling, “the city remains committed” to investing in Greenwood’s district and educating future generations.
“The city remains committed to finding the graves of those killed in the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, supporting the economy of Greenwood County, educating future generations about the worst event in our history, and building a city where everyone has an equal opportunity to live,” he said. Mayor Bynum.
These beautiful lives are Hughes Van Ellis, 102, Lessie Benningfield Randle, 108, and Viola Fletcher, who just turned 109. They are the oldest survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre. Received a $0 refund.
And now Judge Caroline Wall has lost their case.🤔 pic.twitter.com/3W2n6bi3UQ
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. (@QasimRashid) July 8, 2023
The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot Massacre: A Brief History of the Destruction of Domestic Terrorism
The massacre reportedly began when a black man was accused of raping a white woman, Fox News reported. He was arrested and booked into the Tulsa County Courthouse.
A group of armed blacks eventually surrounded the courthouse to protect him, fearing that the man would be killed. His case was later dismissed.
Between May 31, 1921, and June 1, 1921, a group of angry whites arrived in the Greenwood area in response. At the time, the district was one of the wealthiest black communities in the United States.
The terrorists burnt and destroyed more than 35 square meters of land nearby. More than 1,000 houses and properties were destroyed in the massacre. This area is known as “Black Wall Street,” according to Price CNBC.
The Tulsa Race Massacre: Remembering a Dark Chapter in American History
The Tulsa Race Massacre, also known as the Tulsa Race Riot, is one of the most devastating acts of violence in American history. What’s happening in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in… pic.twitter.com/ahfesPpIxX
— Joseph Bonner (@mrjosephbonner) July 7, 2023
A 2001 investigation by the Tulsa Reparations Coalition found 39 dead, 26 black and 13 white. That information was based on autopsy reports and death certificates, the report said.
However, current statistics put the number in the hundreds, History of Tulsa reports.
About 800 were hospitalized, and thousands were left homeless as a result of the massacre. This is one of the worst cases of domestic terrorism in the country’s history.
Meanwhile, last week, Viola Fletcher-the the oldest survivor of the Tulsa riots-released a memoir of his life before, during, and after the assassination and its effects on his long life. It will be widely available next month.