Robert Fuller was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale California, was it a lynching or suicide? The family, community members, and celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Jaden Smith, Jameela Jamil, Alyssa Milano, and Kamalah Harris, are calling for a full investigation and answers.

Written by: LaToya Blakely – June 15th, 2020 12:30am pst

Early Wednesday morning, June 10, Robert Fuller, a 24-year-old black male, was found dead, hanging with a rope around his neck from a tree outside the city hall in Palmdale, California. LA County Sheriff’s Department was quick to announce the probable cause of death as suicide. The announcement was met with immediate outcries of disbelief and outrage from community and family members of Robert Fuller. Fuller was described as a “sweet young man” who grew up in the Antelope Valley with a supportive family. His cousin, Robert Boyer, told KTLA, “It wasn’t no suicide. He didn’t kill himself. He wasn’t that type of person.” 

The investigation is ongoing and coroner’s officials have yet to complete a full autopsy. Palmdale and LA County officials have called for an independent investigation into Fuller’s death. The city of Palmdale released a statement Saturday morning, also supporting the calls for an independent investigation and autopsy for Fuller. “The City of Palmdale is joining the family and the community’s call for justice, and we do support a full investigation into his death. We will settle for nothing less than a thorough accounting of this matter,” the statement read. 

Protests took place on Saturday outside of the Palmdale City Hall. Demonstrators came together to demand a thorough investigation, answers and justice for Robert Fuller. They observed a moment of silence, raised fists in solidarity, and marched from the park where Fuller’s body was found to the sheriff’s station, as reported by the Associated Press. A vigil was held Saturday night for Fuller. 

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Today I went to the rally for #RobertFuller. It was beautiful to hear voices from the community speak up, young and old, in the courtyard of the Palmdale city hall. There were children and families there. Robert Fullers death was no accident, it was not a suicide. Another young Black man was found hanging from a tree in Victorville named #MalcolmHarsch on May 31st only 50 miles away from Palmdale. Black men do commit suicide, but they don’t do by hanging themselves on public property. Despite this heinous violence in the midst of a revolution this rally was entirely peaceful. People got on the megaphone and expressed their grief and their calls to action. We marched and chanted, every car that drove by honked in support and threw their fists in the air. The cops showed up in riot gear with their cars blocking the street and told us to turn around and head back to city hall so we did. Then more cops showed up out of nowhere as we were getting closer to City Hall. They told us to get on the sidewalk so we all did yet they sat there pointing their guns at us while we knelt on the ground. Especially this last guy in my vid standing on the car, TRULY fuck this man who only put down his gun after protesters chanted at him to put it down after aiming it at everyone for like 10 minutes. A helicopter flew overhead saying they would arrest us over a loudspeaker while we did nothing but exercise our free speech. I am disgusted by the actions of the police and I cannot even imagine the anguish of Robert Fullers friends and family. Email the mayor of Palmdale at shofbauer@cityofpalmdale.org call the LA county sheriff homicide bureau at (323) 890-5500 DEMAND A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION INTO ROBERT FULLERS DEATH not that we can trust them to investigate shit. I’m furious. #blmlosangeles #blacklivesmatter here is the go fund me for community support https://www.gofundme.com/f/community-support-for-robert-fuller

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The case has drawn national attention and massive support. Almost 200,000 people have signed a Change.org petition demanding a full investigation and the release of surveillance footage. An online fundraiser to help Fuller’s family with burial expenses raised more than $188,000, far surpassing its goal of $100,000. And numerous stars and politicians, including Kim Kardashian, Jaden Smith, Jameela Jamil, Alyssa Milano, and Kamalah Harris, are standing in support of the family and community and calling for a full investigation and answers. 

Robert Fuller was the second black man to be found hanging from a tree in Southern California in the last two weeks. The body of 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch was discovered hanging from a tree near 7th Street and Zenda Street in San Bernardino County on May 31, 2020. These deaths have come amidst protests in support of Black Lives Matter and against police brutality following the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Authorities in both cases have been quick to announce the probable cause of death as suicide, but many believe that the more likely cause of death was murder by lynching. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBZa_zdB9zp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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About The Author:

LaToya Blakely is an attorney, actress and host dedicated to making a difference and serving the underserved. “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson. You can follow her on Instagram @latoya.blakely and Twitter @BlakelyLaToya.

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