Civil rights group asks for federal inquiry into hanging
By Associated Press
Published August 29, 2003
WEST PALM BEACH - The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights announced Thursday it would ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the hanging of a black man because of rumors that he was murdered.
The commission criticized police for treating the death of Feraris "Ray" Golden as a suicide from the beginning, rather than investigating "foul play," according to a letter sent by commission director Les Jin to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.
The letter also pointed to allegations of "knots" on Golden's head and raised questions about whether he could climb a tree on a rainy night, since he had a blood alcohol level indicating he was greatly impaired.
"Substantial suspicion remains in significant portions of the Belle Glade community that Mr. Golden died because of foul play, and some suspect that one or more members of the Belle Glade law enforcement community may have been involved," the letter said.
Calls to the Justice Department's public affairs office in Washington went unanswered late Thursday.
Belle Glade police Chief Michael Miller said he welcomed further investigations and pledged cooperation.
"I believe the Belle Glade Police Department did a credible investigation," he said. "If facts are discovered that we're not aware of, we will certainly be 100 percent cooperative - because after all, we're all in search of the truth."
Golden was found hanging in a tree in his grandmother's yard at dawn on May 28. Some in Belle Glade, a rural, poor farming community about 45 miles outside of West Palm Beach, said his hands were tied behind his back. Others said he was killed because he was dating the daughter of a white police officer.
The allegations persist despite a public inquest last month where a judge concluded that the evidence pointed only to suicide.
Testimony showed Golden to be a troubled, divorced, unemployed father of four, who was behind in his child support payments and frequently joked that he would kill himself.
