Police in Mississippi said Wednesday they expect autopsy results to be available in the coming days after a Black student was found hanging from a tree on the campus of Delta State University.
Demartravion "Trey" Reed, 21, was found near the pickleball courts on campus Monday, sparking fear and concern among the student body.
Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump said Wednesday he has been retained by Reed’s family, writing on social media, “Trey was a young man full of promise and warmth, deeply loved and respected by all who knew him. His family and the campus community deserve a full, independent investigation to uncover the truth about what happened.”
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At a news conference held Wednesday, university officials said a preliminary report by the local coroner did not indicate foul play. The state medical examiner’s office was said to be conducting an autopsy Wednesday.
Campus police chief Michael Peeler said Reed’s death was an “isolated incident” and said there were no active threats to students and faculty. The chief said video evidence was being reviewed by investigators, but he would not say what the video shows.
Crump said in a statement posted Wednesday Reed’s family was demanding to see the footage.
The university’s president acknowledged the emotional toll of the incident on campus.
“We recognize that this is not only about facts. It’s about emotions, and it’s about feelings, and the way this loss, and how it was discovered, affects people’s lives,” school president Dan Ennis said Wednesday.
The FBI’s Jackson division told Scripps News Thursday it is prepared to investigate if necessary.
"We are aware of the incident in Cleveland, Mississippi, at Delta State University and are in regular contact with local authorities. If, during the course of the local investigation, information comes to light of a potential federal violation, the FBI is prepared to investigate,” the agency said in a statement.
