- Death of James Craig Anderson
-
James Craig Anderson Died June 26, 2011
Jackson, MississippiOccupation factory worker at Nissan plant[1] Known for victim of alleged hate crime James Craig Anderson was a 49-year-old African American who died after being run over, in Jackson, Mississippi on June 26, 2011, by a truck allegedly driven by 18-year old Deryl Dedmon.[1] The event was recorded on a security camera. Before being killed, police allege, Anderson was robbed and repeatedly beaten by a group of white teens who were friends of Dedmon. Anderson's death has generated a high-profile civil rights investigation by the FBI; authorities allege that his death was intentional and racially motivated.[1][2]
Contents
Killing
Before the murder, a group of teens were drinking in largely white Rankin County, Mississippi. According to the teens' lawyer, they decided to go buy more beer in a location where stores were open later at night.[3] According to law enforcement officials, Deryl Dedmon, a white teen from Brandon, Mississippi, led the group, allegedly urging his friends, "Let's go fuck with some niggers."[1][2][4] The group climbed into Dedmon's green 1998 Ford F-250 and a white Jeep Cherokee and drove 16 miles down Interstate 20 to a predominantly black area on the western edge of Jackson.[4]
Anderson was near his truck in the parking lot at the Metro Inn in Jackson, Mississippi, at 5 am on June 26, according to prosecutors.[1] The two vehicles pulled off the freeway and into the motel parking lot.[1][5] According to the teens' lawyer, the teens assumed that Anderson was trying to steal a vehicle because they saw him trying to break into a vehicle. The vehicle was Anderson's own; he was trying to break in because he had lost his keys.[3] The teenagers repeatedly beat Anderson and robbed him, the district attorney said, citing reports from witnesses. Video from a motel security camera does not show any beating occurring but instead shows teens entering and leaving the frame of the video.[1][4] One witness reported that one teenager yelled “white power” when returning to his truck after the beating.[1]
The Jeep drove off and the green pickup, allegedly driven by Dedmon, ran over Anderson, killing him. It left the scene at a high rate of speed.[1][2][4]
After leaving the scene, Dedmon allegedly boasted about beating and running Anderson over, while using racial slurs, allegedly saying[1][4] "I ran that nigger over" to the teens in the other Jeep.[4][6] Law enforcement officials indicated that Dedmon repeated that statement with the racial slur in subsequent conversations.[4]
Investigation and charges
Dedmon was arrested on July 6 and has been charged with capital murder.[7] The incident is being described as a racially motivated hate crime.[1] Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said that the killers said racial slurs during the attack. "This was a crime of hate," he told CNN. "Dedmon murdered this man because he was black."[5] Another teenager, John Aaron Rice, who allegedly assaulted Andersen before he was killed, has been charged with simple assault. Rice was released on $5,000 bail.[2][5] Prosecutors are pursuing additional charges against Rice as well as other teens who were at the scene.[8]
The FBI has opened an investigation into the crime as a civil rights violation.[2] FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden said on August 17 that the bureau wants to "determine whether federal civil rights crimes occurred."[9] Civil rights violations can include hate crimes according to Madden.[10]
On September 20, a grand jury indicted Dedmon on charges of capital murder as well as a hate crime.[11] Capital murder in Mississippi carries the sentences of death or life in prison without parole and Mississippi's hate crime law provides for enhanced sentences.[11] He is being held without bail.[11]
Attorneys for both Dedmon and Rice deny that the crime was racially motivated.[3] Rice's attorney claims the teens were on a "beer run" and that they were not looking for a black man to assault.[3][10]
Dedmon entered a plea of not guilty at a preliminary hearing held on September 30.[12] His trial has been set for January 9, 2012.[12]
Reaction
On August 14, 2011, about 500 people marched in Jackson to denounce the "racially motivated hate crime".[1][5]
According to the Huffington Post, this case has sparked a "war of words" on the Internet.[3]
The family of James Anderson has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit with the help of the Southern Poverty Law Center against seven of the teens they believe were involved in the incident.[13] The suit has gained attention in the LGBT community because Mississippi law doesn't recognize Anderson's partner of 17 years and his partner is therefore unable to participate in the wrongful death suit.[14]
The family has also written a letter to Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith requesting that those responsible for James' death not face the death penalty, citing her family's Christian values.[15] The letter stated "They also have caused our family unspeakable pain and grief. But our loss will not be lessened by the state taking the life of another."[15]
External links
- "Hate crime? Killing Caught on Video", CNN, August 5, 2011, news video includes graphic footage of the murder from the motel's security camera
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Severson, Kimberly (August 22, 2011). "Killing of Black Man Prompts Reflection on Race in Mississippi". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/23/us/23jackson.html?hp. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "James Craig Anderson's Death: FBI Investigates Fatal Rundown Of Black Man In Mississippi". The Huffington Post. Associated Press. August 18, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/18/james-craig-anderson-fbi-investigation_n_930155.html. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e "James Craig Anderson's Death Sparks Internet War Of Words Over Alleged Mississippi Hate Crime". The Huffington Post. August 14, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/14/james-craig-anderson_n_926431.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Griffin, Drew; Bronstein, Scott (August 19, 2011). "Feds Join Probe of Alleged Miss. Hate Killing". CNN. Jackson, MS: WAPT-TV. http://www.wapt.com/news/28892051/detail.html. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Sperling, Nicole (August 15, 2011). "March Aims to draw attention to Slaying of Black Mississippi Man". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/15/entertainment/la-et-jackson-vigil-20110815. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- ^ Diebert, Michael (August 9, 2011). "What James Craig Anderson's Killing Means to America". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-deibert/what-james-craig-anderson_1_b_922733.html. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
- ^ "Inmate Detail". Jackson, Mississippi: Hinds County Sheriff's Department. http://www.co.hinds.ms.us/pgs/apps/inmate/inmate_detail.asp?ID=93724.
- ^ Martinez, Michael (September 20, 2011). "Mississippi teen charged with capital murder in alleged hate killing". CNN. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-09-20/justice/justice_mississippi-hate-crime-charge_1_white-teens-capital-murder-death-penalty?_s=PM:JUSTICE. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
- ^ "James Craig Anderson's Death: FBI Investigates Fatal Rundown Of Black Man In Mississippi". The Huffington Post. Associated Press. August 18, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/18/james-craig-anderson-fbi-investigation_n_930155.html. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
- ^ a b "FBI to probe Mississippi hit-and-run killing". Reuters. msnbc.com. August 19, 2011. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44194102/ns/world_news/t/fbi-probe-mississippi-hit-and-run-killing/#.TlzbPaj9R-Q. Retrieved August 30, 2011.
- ^ a b c Mohr, Holbrook (September 21, 2011). "Miss. teen indicted for capital murder, hate crime". Forbes. Associated Press. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/09/21/general-us-fatal-rundown_8693965.html. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
- ^ a b Gates, Jimmie E. (September 30, 2011). "Dedmon pleads not guilty: Gag order imposed in slaying". The Clarion Ledger (Jackson, MS). http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20111001/NEWS/110010341/Dedmon-pleads-not-guilty?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome. Retrieved October 7, 2011.
- ^ Severson, Kim (September 6, 2011). "Family of Black Man Sues Whites in Killing". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/us/07jackson.html. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
- ^ McGonnigal, Jamie (September 9, 2011). "Husband, child of hate crime victim shut out by Mississippi laws". LGBTQ Nation. http://www.lgbtqnation.com/2011/09/husband-child-of-hate-crime-victim-shut-out-by-mississippi-laws/. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ a b "Family of alleged Miss. hate-killing victim doesn't want death penalty". Associated Press. CBS. September 16, 2011. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20106948-504083.html. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
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