William Roy Prather

Overview

On November 1, 1959, William Roy Prather, a black thirteen-year-old child,[1] died from a gunshot wound he sustained the previous night at 10:30 p.m. Prather was walking home with his friends in the black section of Corinth, Mississippi, when XXXXXX, a white XXXX- year-old, shot Prather from the back of a pick-up truck. Seven other white teenagers — James Neal Butler (age 15), XXXXXX (age XX), XXXXXX (age XX), XXXXXX (age XX), James Rufus Scott (age 15), XXXXXX (age XX), and XXXXXX (age XX) — were also in the truck.

[1] The Corinth police file references his age as fifteen, but his birth certificate specifies his date of birth as December 23, 1945. He was therefore only thirteen when he was killed.

Incident Date

November 1, 1959

Case Name

William Roy Prather

Industry Code(s)

None

Case Document

William Roy Prather - Notice to Close File [PDF, ]