George Chagina Dobbins

George “Chagina” Dobbins was a former Collinsville, Alabama, police officer who became chairman of Inmates for Action while serving a ten-year robbery sentence at Atmore State Prison. The 1969 appellate record shows that prosecutors relied on an accomplice’s claim that Dobbins had helped identify a robbery target; no witness placed him at the May 28, 1966 robbery. At Atmore, Dobbins helped lead prisoners seeking protection from beatings and better conditions. Guards shot him when they retook the segregation unit during the January 18, 1974 prisoner rebellion. He was dead on arrival at Mobile General Hospital, where witnesses reported additional severe head wounds. Dobbins died in state custody before completing his sentence.

The Mass Media account of the January 18, 1974 Atmore rebellion identifies Dobbins as chairman of Inmates for Action. It attributes to an autopsy report nine stab wounds to his face and head in addition to shotgun wounds, and to prisoners the statement that he had only gunshot injuries when placed in the ambulance. The alleged later stabbing is attributed to this contemporary account, without identifying an unproved perpetrator. Source: https://openarchives.umb.edu/digital/api/collection/p15774coll18/id/6664/download

Workers World reports that his mother Carrie Bush filed a federal suit in the week preceding the June 4, 1975 Birmingham rally, seeking $250,000 from each named defendant, including prison officials and Governor Wallace. The complaint alleged that Dobbins entered the ambulance wounded by gunfire and arrived dead at Mobile General Hospital with nine additional axe-like head wounds. These are allegations attributed to the lawsuit and newspaper, not adjudicated findings identifying a perpetrator. Source: https://www.workers.org/wp-content/uploads/ww1975-0613-v17n24.pdf#page=12