Fulton Police Department, Mississippi
End of Watch: Monday, September 1, 1947
Age: 60
Tour of Duty: 22 years
Badge Number: F-1
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: September 1, 1947
Weapon Used: Blunt object; Lumber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Town Marshal Lee Phillips was killed by a mob of men while trying to break up a group creating a drunken disturbance.
Town Marshal Phillips responded to the Cozy Corner Cafe in response to a drunken, disorderly citizen. As Town Marshal Phillips sought to arrest the suspect, a group of the suspect's friends confronted Town Marshal Phillips.
At that time, Town Marshal Phillips left the scene to request the assistance of the Itawamba County Sheriff. During his absence, the group left the cafe and went to the nearby stables. When Town Marshal Phillips and the Sheriff returned and found the group at the stables, they were attacked by the group of men. Town Marshal Phillips was fatally struck in the head with a board; the Sheriff was also struck several times with the same board and suffered various injuries to the shoulder and head. A bystander stepped in a wrestled the board away before the Sheriff could be further injured.
The Sheriff managed to get the person that first assaulted him into custody and transported him to jail. The rest of the suspects fled the scene. Town Marshall Phillips was transported by ambulance to the Community Hospital in Tupelo, Mississippi where he was pronounced dead.
After an exhaustive manhunt by 12 Mississippi Highway Patrol Officers, Policemen, and Deputy Sheriffs from two states, and Itawamba County residents, the main suspect was located, taken into custody and transported to the Tupelo Jail in Lee County, Mississippi, and later moved to an undisclosed location.
The main suspect and an accomplice, ages 22 and 23, were charged with murder. The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. His accomplice's trial resulted in a mistrial. On January 15, 1960, Governor J. P. Coleman pardoned the one convicted of murder. In April of 1973, he and his brother shot and killed two men and a woman in Itawamba County. On March 8, 1974, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He applied for parole in 1982 and was released on an unknown date between then and 1992, the year of his death in Booneville.
Town Marshal Phillips had served with the Fulton Police Department for 22 years. He was survived by his wife and seven children.