New details emerge from autopsy of man ‘ran over’ by police SUV, buried in pauper's grave

A Mississippi man struck by an off-duty officer driving a police cruiser, buried without family knowledge, then exhumed without relatives present had identification on him, despite claims that he did not, a family attorney said Thursday following an independent autopsy.

Dexter Wade’s family has expressed outrage over not being contacted or informed of his death, and city officials have defended the lack of contact by saying they didn't immediately know Wade's identity because he carried no ID. But the independent autopsy results debunk the city's claims by stating Wade, 37, was in fact carrying identification and the family could have been promptly notified.

Wade's body was “completely ran over” by the cruiser, with multiple blunt force injuries to his skull, ribs and pelvis, and his left leg was amputated, civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump said. He cited the findings of pathologist Frank Peretti, who was hired by the family. The body was also in an “advanced state of decomposition” and had not been embalmed, Crump said.

A wallet in the front pocket of his jeans contained his state identification card with his home address, along with his credit card and health insurance card, Crump said.

“The fact that Dexter had a state identification card and several other identifying items shows us that there was a concerted effort to keep the truth and manner of his death from his family,” Crump said. “There is no excuse, not even incompetence, for not notifying a next of kin of an identified man’s death."

A full autopsy report is expected soon.

Mayor previously said no ID found

On March 5, an off-duty Jackson officer driving a police SUV struck and killed Wade while he was crossing Interstate 55. Wade's mother soon filed a missing person's report but wasn’t told what happened until months after. NBC News reported police had known Wade's name and his mother's, but failed to contact her, instead letting his body go unclaimed for months in the county morgue.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said last month Wade was "without identification," but noted a coroner later identified him through fingerprints and a bottle of prescription medication he had on him. 

"The accident was investigated, and it was determined that it was, in fact, an accident and that there was no malicious intent," Lumumba said.

He added that Bettersten was not contacted because "there was a lack of communication with the missing person's division, the coroner's office, and accident investigation," and called it "an unfortunate and tragic incident."

Crump said the coroner contacted a medical clinic to get information about Wade’s next of kin but was unable to get in touch with his mother, Bettersten Wade. He showed a report that said between March and July, the coroner's office called Jackson police seven times to see if they made contact with the next of kin, to which the department responded no.

A spokesperson for the city of Jackson said Wade's body remained in the custody of Hinds County from the moment a coroner arrived at the scene of the crash. He said authority to examine, bury and exhume rests with the county, not the city.

The Hinds County coroner's office did not immediately return a request for comment Thursday.

Body exhumed without family present

Wade’s body was exhumed Monday following calls from the family and Crump for an independent autopsy and funeral. 

Bettersten Wade was told by county officials last week the exhumation would begin at 11:30 a.m., but when she arrived, along with community advocates and members of the media, officials had exhumed his body at 8 a.m., hours before the scheduled time and without notice, Crump said.

“Dexter, a young Black man, was buried with no more dignity and respect than an animal, which no human being deserves. This case has shown us time and time again that the local officials cannot be trusted in this matter and there are clear conflicts of interest,” Crump said. “Now, louder than ever, we renew our calls to the Department of Justice to investigate all of the local entities involved in Dexter’s death and what his mother suspects is a coverup."

Contributing: Charlie Drape, USA TODAY Network