Masonic Rites for Banks
In June 1954, Isadore Banks, a wealthy African-American veteran of World War I, was chained to a tree, doused in gasoline, and burned alive beyond recognition. On October 2, 2010, Masonic Rites were performed at his grave.
WARNING: the clip contains graphic images!
On October 19, 1992, the FBI destroyed the Banks’ case file. It most likely included records, interviews, photographs, and any correspondence between the field office and FBI headquarters. Everything you would need to start a re-investigation, is now gone. ”It was destroyed according to standard Records Retention and Disposition,” FBI spokesman Chris Allen said. “This policy is not set by the FBI, but by the National Archives and Records Administration.” You can read more about this in my post “Tribute to Banks.”
Banks’ murder remains unsolved…
Categories: Cold Case News, Unsolved
Tags: Civil Rights Cold Case Initiative, Cruelty, Destroying Files, Evidence, FBI, Identification, Investigations Division, Race, Segregation, Unsolved Homicide, Victim