Page 8 - The Culture Report

The Culture Report

#SayHerName: Lanekia Michelle Brown

Lanekia Michelle Brown, in a case sadly reminiscent of Sandra
Bland, died in police custody during the last week of last
December. While in jail awaiting trial for drug trafficking
charges, Brown, who was three to four weeks pregnant and a
mother of two other children, complained of severe abdominal
pains. After some undisclosed about of time, a nurse was
brought in, but Brown was unresponsive. Soon after, the mother
of two was declared dead.

So what exactly happened to her? According to her mother,
Margaret Johnson, the answer is a mystery that police seem
intent on holding.

After driving to the precinct where Brown died, Johnson attempted to collect her daughter items and to
get more details on what happen, but was told to come back at a later date.

When asked by WJTV whether they suspected foul play, Brown’s family collectively said, “Yes.” On
December 26, three days after learning about her daughter’s death, Brown’s family were still not
allowed to identify her body.

“I need to know what happened to her, where she’s at,” Johnson said. “They won’t tell me or give me
no information. That’s my child. I love my child … I want to
know where my child is.”

One member of Brown’s family said that the death seemed,
"suspicious," and the family has since gotten a lawyer to get some
answers about what happened to the previously healthy 37-year-
old.

According to their attorney, Carlos Moore, Brown’s death may
have been the result of discrimination. Ironically, Moore is also
the lead attorney on three other cases involving inmates who died
in the custody of Madison County officials. In a warning for
those who are Driving While Black he recommended, “any
African-American[s] traveling through Madison County to be on
high alert.” Unfortunately, that warning may not only be for
Mississippi.

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