Death and Doubts

Ray Golden's hanging was a national curiosity. Maybe his legacy will be social justice.

A A A Comments By Susan Eastman Thursday, Oct 30 2003

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A fading yellow ribbon with the word Ray spelled out in silver glitter marks the schefflera tree where Ray Golden died.

Colby Katz

From left: The spindly schefflera tree in southeast Belle Glade where Bernice Golden found her son Ray hanging on May 28; a yellow ribbon and a cluster of flowers remind passers-by that Ray Golden died here; the bleak streets of southwest Belle Glade where Ray Golden spent many a day hanging out.

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His body is buried several miles away at Foreverglades Cemetery on Airport Road in Belle Glade. The grave sits atop a little hill at the cemetery. A field of sugar cane sprouts outside a fence. A flat bronze gravestone with a pink granite base marks the spot. A vase attached to the gravestone holds two soft-blue cloth roses. The inscription reads, "Forever in Our Hearts."

On the streets of Belle Glade, the community still waits. A.B. Burch, a 59-year-old domino pal of Ray's, says a complete investigation is warranted. He adds: "I think everybody should have some justice."