AP Faces Criticism for Invoking Lynching History in Mississippi Hanging Death Coverage

The Associated Press is facing criticism for its coverage of the death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman found hanging from a tree in Jackson, Mississippi, with the wire service invoking the history of lynchings in the American South. This occurred even after authorities charged a Black man, Jarques Ratliff, with her murder and had not yet established a motive.

In its reporting, the AP stated that Fortune's death had "stirred distressing memories of the grim history of lynchings across the U.S. South." The report identified the suspect, Ratliff, also as Black, noted his plea of not guilty, and acknowledged that police and prosecutors had not announced a suspected motive.

Critics, including Media Research Center Video host Justine Brooke Murray, argued that the AP's framing blurred the line between journalism and activism. "In this most recent case, a more accurate name for the AP is ‘the Activist-Press,’" Murray stated. "They've established a set of rules for the vocabulary everyone else is expected to regurgitate, and with that, established themselves as the arbiters of truth."

Fortune's mother, Christy Spivey, told the AP that she did not believe her daughter's death was racially motivated, describing the circumstances as "very personal." Spivey is White, while Fortune's father is Black.

The controversy followed reports from several news organizations that initially emphasized Fortune's race while omitting Ratliff's race at the time of his arrest. The AP's initial arrest report described Fortune as a "Black woman" but did not identify Ratliff as Black, though the wire service later included his race in subsequent coverage.

Jackson police classified Fortune's death as a homicide following an examination by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner's Office. Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney stated that the investigation remained active and that additional arrests were expected, though police have not publicly detailed Ratliff's motive or his association with Fortune. Brackney acknowledged the attention surrounding the case and Mississippi's racial history, emphasizing that investigators were relying on evidence.

The AP's News Values and Principles state that its journalists follow standards intended to safeguard reporting from "bias and inaccuracies" and aim to report news accurately, honestly, and impartially.