Local Spotlight: Investigating the 1958 death of James Brazier

In 1958, when Jim Crow laws were very much still in force in this part of southwest Georgia, Cherry was particularly rankled by Brazier, who had recently purchased a new showy, chrome-packed 1958 Chevrolet Impala, bright blue with a white top. A Navy World War II veteran, Brazier and his wife worked multiple jobs to cobble together a comfortable middle-class existence with their four children.

But Brazier made more money than Cherry and this offended him to no end. So he targeted Brazier, pulling him over and beating him in 1957. In April of 1958, he stopped Brazier’s father and when Brazier tried to calm the situation, Cherry and fellow police officer Randolph McDonald instead beat Brazier on his front lawn. A badly injured Brazier was taken to jail and doctors did not properly treat him. Brazier died soon after from head trauma.