Decades after hanging attempt by Wake deputies, Triangle man gets apology

Two months ago, Lynn Council spoke to WRAL News about an incident in 1952 in which he says he was hanged from a tree by two Wake County deputies who wanted him to confess to a robbery he didn't commit.

Posted 9:55 p.m. Apr 8, 2019 — Updated 11:23 p.m. Apr 8, 2019

Gerald Owens

, WRAL anchor/reporter

APEX, N.C. — Two months ago, Lynn Council spoke to WRAL News about an incident in 1952 in which he says he was hanged from a tree by two Wake County deputies who wanted him to confess to a robbery he didn't commit.

The last time Lynn Council, 86, walked into the Apex police station, he was 19 years old, wearing handcuffs and charged with a crime.

The last time he sat before the chief of Police, he says he was slapped across the face so hard - it knocked him to the floor.

His visit last week was vastly different.

"I want to hear your story directly," said Apex Police Chief John Letteney.

A sympathetic police chief listened to Council recount the injustice he suffered in his youth.

Former police Chief Sam Bagwell, a man with a reputation for racism and brutality, arrested Council and seven other teenagers in 1952, accusing them of robbing a store, a crime they all denied committing.

Because it happened outside his jurisdiction, Bagwell drove Council and the others to the Wake County Sheriff's Office, where Council was singled out.

"They took me out of the cell, brung me out in the country, (and) they hung me," Council said.

Council says two deputies hanged him from an oak tree, which still stands along Kildaire Farm Road, hoping Council would confess to the crime. He says they let him down when he didn't talk.

None of the law enforcement officers involved in the incident was charged, including Bagwell.

Letteney is trying to make right on his predecessor's actions.

"Mr. Council, I can't fix what happened to you, (and) I can't change the past," Letteney said. "But I can acknowledge it, and I can, on behalf of the town and the police department, apologize for the role that we had in this."

Letteney says Bagwell didn't deserve to wear the badge.

One day after WRAL News reported on the incident involving Lynn Council, Letteney took action by removing Bagwell's brick from the Apex Walk of Honor, a memorial for past police chiefs.

"It did not seem fitting that his name be displayed along with everyone else," Letteney said.

You could say Council's life changed after the initial story.

"I thank the Lord that I'm still alive," he said during a VIP reception at his church in Apex, an event he said he never expected.

A man whose personal injustice stayed buried inside him for all those years was suddenly a household name.

"I'm extremely proud to be standing here today," said Wake Sheriff Gerald Baker recently during an event to honor Council, "as your Wake County sheriff and in honor of Mr. Council."

The sheriff's office and an entire community now honored Council, 67 years later.

"I sure did enjoy it," he said, "and appreciate everything."

There was a moment during the celebration at the church that was subtle to most, but may have had strong meaning for Council.

As Baker and his deputies left the service, they each knelt beside Council's seat and said, "We have your back. This will never happen again."

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