Henry Marrow

From Freepedia

Henry D. Marrow Junior, called Dickie by his friends and family, was 23 when he was murdered in Oxford, North Carolina on March 11th, 1970, the victim of a violent "hate crime". Henry Marrow's three killers were all deemed "not guilty". This verdict spurred a black rebellion in the county and influenced events across the country.

Biography

Henry "Dickie" Marrow was born to Henry D. Marrow Senior and Ivey Hunt Marrow around 1947. His parents separated early on, and when Marrow Senior died in a violent quarrel, Ivey was left to provide for her son. Henry lived with his mother's parents in Oxford for his childhood while she was working in New Jersey, eventually moving in with the Chavis family during his adolescence while he attended Mary Potter High School. After graduation, Henry attended Kittrell College for about a year.

At the age of 19, Henry D. Marrow Jr. joined the military and was stationed in Fort Bragg of the same state. However, Henry did not like army life much and snuck home often, a three hour trip, sometimes to see one Willie Mae Sidney. Henry was subsequently decommissioned and moved back to Oxford, taking employment at Umstead Hospital in Butner and marrying Ms. Sidney.

Willie Mae Marrow gave birth to two girls, Tammy and Tasha, and was carrying a third daughter when her husband was killed. Mr. Marrow was 5'9" (175.26 cm), and 140 lb (64 kg) at the time of his death.

The Murder

Though the details of the story remain uncertain, Marrow seems to have been shopping at a local general store owned by the Teels when he made a passing remark to a white woman. Some say Marrow's words were flirtatous and to the woman's husband, Larry Teel, 18 at the time, they seemed so.

Larry confronted Marrow, who denied the remark was to his wife. Larry struck Henry with a wooden plank several times before Marrow managed to throw gravel at him and pull a knife out of his pocket. Meanwhile Robert Teel and his stepson Roger Oakley grabbed their weapons--a 12-gauge shotgun and a combo .410-gauge shotgun and .22 caliber rifle--and rushed to the scene.

Seeing himself outnumbered, Henry fled, running for the highway, and the three men gave chase. Robert fired his shotgun, striking Henry in the thigh and knocking him down. When the three reached Henry, they pummeled him with the butts of their rifles, the plank, their fists and feet. The butt of the shotgun fractured Marrow's skull, breaking in the process. According to the witnesses, Robert said, "Shoot the son of a bitch," and one of his sons pulled the trigger of the combo rifle and put a bullet in Henry's head.

Henry died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.