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FBI cross burning date unknown

It’s insane that this still happens. This is racism. Burning a cross in the front yard of African-Americans is racism. Sending temporary H1B workers back home to India isn’t racism; sending illegal workers back to Latin America isn’t racism. Americans need to start understanding what is racism, and what isn’t.

This is especially shocking since it wasn’t a confused teenage kid, but a 38 year old man!
“JUSTICE NEWS
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Mississippi Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Crossburning
The Honorable Judge Keith Starrett, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sentenced Defendant Graham Williamson, 38, to serve 36 months incarcertation on federal charges for his commission of a crossburning on Oct. 24, 2017, in Seminary, Mississippi.

Williamson previously pleaded guilty on Aug. 5, 2019, to one count of interference with housing rights, a federal civil rights violation, and one count of conspiring to use fire to commit a federal felony.

Williamson, along with a co-conspirator, built and burned a wooden cross near the home of a juvenile victim, M.H., who lived in a predominantly African-American residential area of Seminary. He burned the cross to threaten, frighten, and intimidate M.H. and other African-American residents because of their race and color, and because they lived in and occupied residences in that area of Seminary. 

“The defendant invoked a terrifying symbol of racial violence to threaten and intimidate the victims for no other reason than their race and where they lived,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division.  “Hate crimes like this contravene our society’s well-established principles of equality and freedom from race-based intimidation, and the Department of Justice will continue to pursue and prosecute such crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”

“Those who terrorize our people and commit crimes based on the color of someone’s skin will receive swift and certain prosecution from this office,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst of the Southern District of Mississippi. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to do all that we can to prevent such racist crimes so that all our people can live in peace and without fear.”

“When people violate the civil rights of others for the sole purpose of intimidation, specifically burning a cross as in this case, it terrorizes an entire community,” said FBI Jackson Division Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin. “Mississippians shouldn’t have to fear for their safety within their own neighborhoods, and this case should send a strong message to those who threaten others based on race or color. Civil rights investigations remain a top priority for the FBI in Mississippi, and we will continue to vigorously investigate and seek prosecution for these violations.”

Defendant Williamson is the second individual to be sentenced for participation in this crossburning. Williamson’s co-conspirator, Louie Bernard Revette, previously pleaded guilty to one count of interference with housing rights and one count of using fire to commit a federal felony. On Sept. 10, 2019, the Honorable Judge Starrett sentenced Revette to 11 years incarceration on those two charges. 

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi Field Office, including the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and the Jackson Public Corruption Task Force. Special Litigation Counsel Julia Gegenheimer of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Mayberry of the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Topic(s): 
Civil Rights
Hate Crimes
Component(s): 
Civil Rights Division
USAO – Mississippi, Southern
Press Release Number: 
19-1190
Updated November 5, 2019 https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/mississippi-man-sentenced-36-months-crossburning

“JUSTICE NEWS
Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime for Crossburning
The Department of Justice announced that Graham Williamson pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges related to the commission of a crossburning on Oct. 24, 2017, in Seminary, Mississippi. Specifically, Williamson, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with housing rights, a federal civil rights violation, and one count of conspiring to use fire to commit a federal felony.

In his plea, Williamson admitted that he and a co-conspirator planned and carried out a racially motivated crossburning in a predominantly African-American residential area of Seminary, Mississippi.

Specifically, Williamson admitted that he and the co-conspirator constructed a cross using materials from in and around the co-conspirator’s residence, placed the cross near the home of African-American residents of that area, including the home of a juvenile victim identified as M.H., and lit the cross on fire.

Williamson further admitted that he built and burned the cross to threaten, frighten, and intimidate M.H. and other African-American residents because of their race and color of their skin, and because those individuals lived in the Keys Hill area of Seminary, Mississippi. Williamson acknowledged that he knew burning crosses have historically been used to threaten, frighten, and intimidate African-Americans.

Williamson faces a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on the two charges. Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 5.

“The defendant used a violent symbol of racial intimidation to threaten these victims and inspire fear, while they resided in the security of their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice does not tolerate these hateful and historically egregious acts, and will continue to vigorously prosecute criminals who violate the civil rights of peaceful community members.”

“Those who commit criminal acts based on race to intimidate and scare our fellow citizens will face swift and certain justice from this U.S. Attorney’s Office. These types of hateful actions have no place in our communities, and we will continue to fight for and uphold the civil rights of all throughout our State,” said Mike Hurst, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.

“Crimes motivated by hate are intended to intimidate their victims and spread fear in the community, undermining societal values,” said FBI Jackson Division Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin. “The FBI will continue its aggressive investigations of acts like these in pursuit of justice for the victims and the integrity of civil rights for all.”

This case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Hattiesburg Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Gregory Mayberry for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

For more information about Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.
Topic(s): 
Civil Rights
Hate Crimes
Component(s): 
Civil Rights Division
USAO – Mississippi, Southern
Press Release Number: 
19-841
Updated August 6, 2019” https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/mississippi-man-pleads-guilty-federal-hate-crime-crossburning-0