Authorities in Mississippi probing the death of black man found hanging from a tree

Authorities in Mississippi are investigating the death of a black man whose body was found hanging from a tree Thursday morning.

Claiborne County Sheriff Marvin Lucas said the man was hanging by a bedsheet, and they have yet to rule if it was a homicide or suicide. Although the man has not been formally identified, the state N.A.A.C.P. chapter identified him as 54-year-old Otis James Byrd, who had been missing from Port Gibson, Mississippi, since March 2. The body was found about 500 yards away from a house that Byrd had been renting, The New York Times reports.

Derrick Johnson, the president of the state conference of the N.A.A.C.P., said in a statement that he wants to see the federal government step in and provide assistance due to the circumstances. "Considering Mr. Byrd's body was found hanging from a tree, we are calling on federal authorities to immediately investigate to determine whether his death is a result of a racial hate crime," he said.

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