Location of Lynching*:

Bankston's Grocery, 212 S 4th St, Opelika, AL

*Lynching classification pending review by the Equal Justice Initiative

 

Date:

June 13, 1980

 

Age:

Born in 1943, Otis "Jimbo" Gray was 36

years old when he was killed.

 

Brief:

Mr. Otis “Jimbo” Gray Sr was born Sept 30, 1943 in Lafayette Al to Lillie Mae Dowdell and JB Gray. He married Lucile Edwards Gray, and they had one son, Otis Gray Jr (19 at the time of his death), and two daughters, Lillie Pearl Gray Smith (17 at the time of his death) and Carolyn Gray Morton (15 at the time of his death). Mr. Gray previously worked at the Coca-Cola plant and was working in the community at the time of his killing. This included work at Bankston’s Grocery store and he was picking up his pay as well as getting grocery items for his family on the day he was killed.

​

Gray was 36 years old when he was checking out with his groceries at 3:55pm in Opelika, Al on Friday, June 13, 1980. While checking out, he was targeted by John South, 45-year-old owner of Bankston’s Grocery. South, originally from Jasper, Al, was a cousin to Bankston (Isham “Ike” Monroe Bankston), a prominent white businessman whose family was from the Opelika area for several generations. South knew the police involved and was given supportive treatment throughout the case. He was also known to target Black community members and Gray especially. This ongoing harassment was supported by witnesses to Mr. Gray’s killing, although it was framed in a more positive way, saying that earlier in the week, ‘John was chasing Jimbo around with a broom. It was very typical. It happened every time I worked the store.’ and ‘He told Jimbo ‘If you don’t get out of here, I’ll shoot you.’ He always talked like that, I didn’t pay him no mind.’.

​

This escalated the day of Gray’s killing. South claimed in numerous news articles that he was playing with a .38 revolver at the checkout counter in his grocery store when the gun fired. He claimed Mr. Gray was standing in front of him when it happened and was struck in the head, collapsing immediately. Witnesses who worked for South supported this claim, adding that they were always ‘clowning around’.

​

Despite this, inconsistencies were already apparent. In South’s statement, his description of what happened and where Mr. Gray was standing did not match the wound on Mr. Gray’s head. He claimed Mr. Gray was standing directly in front of him, but Mr. Gray was shot downward and on the left side of his head, as though he was trying to get away.

​

Additional witnesses in the store said South initiated a game of Russian Roulette with Mr. Gray, which Mr. Gray did not have a choice in. He spun a bottle to find a target, and fired the gun once but it jammed. The second time he spun the bottle, it pointed to Mr. Gray, and he fired again. This time, the gun didn’t jam and South shot Mr. Gray in the head. Witnesses also say that South antagonized Mr. Gray throughout this “game”. Witnesses described the scene as very bloody and violent.

South was questioned the day of the incident by a single officer on scene. He was arrested but not held until Saturday.

​

The following day at 5:45am, just 13 hours after his shooting, Mr. Gray died.

​

South was brought in for official questioning. Reporting varies on the charges against South over the intervening months. He was initially charged with first degree assault and then first degree murder after Mr. Gray’s death. South was held on a $25,000 bond but paid it easily and was released the same day (Saturday, June 14). During his brief time in jail, South was granted protective custody. On Friday, Sept 12, it was reported that these charges were dropped down to manslaughter by a grand jury.

​

During his trial Tuesday Oct 7, South’s attorney argued to the jury that ‘South’s family life would be ruined if he had to go to jail’ and expanded that ‘He’s had to lose his grocery and he has to live with it the rest of his life’. This was debated quickly by DA Myers, who said ‘But what about Otis Gray’s family. They are going to spend the rest of their lives without a father. I don’t know how much more ruined your family life can be than that.’. South also testified in his own trial, which is unusual.

​

On Wednesday, October 8th, 1980, the jury deliberated for 3 hours and 22 minutes before reaching their verdict to convict South for criminally negligent homicide. This reporting says it was the jury’s decision to reduce the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. Judge Wright set the sentencing hearing for Thursday, Oct 30 and declared that South would be freed on bond during the intervening time. Criminally negligent homicide would rate a maximum of one year in prison and a $2,000 fine.

​

After the verdict, the city and Black community especially was in an uproar. Protests sparked across town and in the Bankston’s Grocery. A huge police response turned out, and the protesters left some property damage. This was halted when Mr. Gray’s wife, Lucile Edwards Gray, asked people to stop. South quietly left the area and went to Montgomery; he survived until Dec 6 1993. Mr. Gray’s wife and family have continued to press for justice to this day.