The lawyer representing Bettersten Wade, a Mississippi mother whose adult son was killed by an off-duty police officer and buried in a pauper’s grave without her knowledge, plans to request an investigation by the Department of Justice. The lawyer, Ben Crump, announced in a news conference that he intends to have Dexter Wade’s body exhumed for an independent autopsy before reburial with a proper funeral and headstone. Bettersten Wade expressed her devastation at searching for her missing son for months, only to learn that the police department knew he had been killed. She questioned the police department’s ability to protect its residents.
The original news article, which was first reported by NBC News, led to public outrage and speculation about the case of Dexter Wade in Jackson, Mississippi. Crump and Bettersten Wade accused the Jackson Police Department of holding a grudge against their family due to a previous case. In 2019, Bettersten Wade’s brother died after an officer slammed him to the ground, resulting in the officer’s manslaughter conviction, which is currently being appealed. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, alleging excessive force and a cover-up by the Jackson officers, along with inadequate training and supervision by the city. Crump called for a Department of Justice investigation, citing the family’s lack of trust in Mississippi officials.
Bettersten Wade last saw her son on March 5 before he left home with a friend. She reported him missing the following week and spent months seeking information from the Jackson Police Department. In August, an accident investigator informed her of her son’s death, revealing that he was struck by a police cruiser while crossing a nearby highway. Despite informing the Hinds County coroner’s office of the identification, no updates or information were provided by the police. Consequently, Dexter Wade was buried in a pauper’s field on the county’s penal farm. The mayor of Jackson expressed regret and blamed a communication failure for the incident, but Bettersten Wade believes that the lack of contact from the police was intentional.
In summary, the lawyer for Bettersten Wade will request a Department of Justice investigation into the circumstances surrounding her son’s death and burial without her knowledge. The lawyer plans to have Dexter Wade’s body exhumed for an independent autopsy before arranging a proper funeral and headstone. The family accuses the Jackson Police Department of having a vendetta against them due to a previous case involving Bettersten Wade’s brother. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, and their distrust in Mississippi officials has led to the call for a federal investigation. Bettersten Wade was devastated to learn that her son had been killed and buried without her knowledge, leading her to question the police department’s ability to protect its residents.