I've been following this particular story and had to share it with you by bringing more awareness to this case. This story is very disturbing and may cause you to be angered, but, it must be told.It has been reported in Jackson, Mississippi by Prosecutors that Deryl Dedmon Jr. and Aaron Rice after leaving a party on June 26, were looking for a black person to harm. Dedmon and Rice had reportedly said to friends, "Let's go f*ck with some n!gg3r$." The teens then drove from their predominately white suburb area to 16 miles across town to a primarily black part of town for someone to "mess with". As the teens pulled off the Interstate's Highway, this is when they spotted James C Anderson walking out of the nearby Mcdonald's heading to his vehicle about 5 a.m. in the morning. Dedmon and Rice then attacked Anderson beating and kicking him down to the ground while the other teens watched in the truck. Witnesses report that the teens were yelling "White Power!" and other racial slurs as they headed back to the truck. It was not over then, as a nearby motel security camera shows the teens getting back into Dedmon's white Ford F250 sports utility truck accelerated running Mr. Anderson over as he lied there curled up on the ground, killing him instantly. A motel worker who witnessed this hate crime claims that the teens were bragging about the beating and running down of Mr. Anderson.
In the beginning of this story, it was told as a hit-and-run accident to Anderson's family, but the truth later came out when the police report's statements from witnesses proved other.
Dedmon has known to be a bully in the past to other white teens with black friends or gay says, Robert Schuler Smith Hinds county 's District Attorney and prosecutor in the case. "This was a crime of hate. Dedmon murdered this man because he was black," Smith added. Smith goes on to say, "Dedmon was not remorseful." Also, that some parts of the area "are still very polarized and it's still highly segregated in most ways," he added. Smith also states that racial tensions remains high among some groups. An ex-pastor of Dedmon's also stated to CNN that his own son was too bullied by Dedmon in the past for years and that he had to get the school involve to resolve the situation. So, it is quite obvious that this troubled teen has a history of bullying others.
A grainy video of the incident recorded by a motel security camera is being used as evidence. The video was posted on CNN Sunday and has opened a new interest in the case. Keep in mind that it is almost a month and a half since the actual incident and we are NOW hearing of this. Many Jackson residents and neighboring communities are questioning just how far race relations have come in this day and age, but yet, it still exists.
Deryl Dedmon Jr., an 18 yr old, was charged with murder and remains in jail on $800,000 bond. Police says that the two teen girls that were in the truck were NOT charged. John A. Rice, 18, was originally charged with murder but a judge in Hinds county William Barnett, dropped the charges to a simple assault.
The case is headed for the grand jury this month where prosecutors will argue that it was both a hate crime and a murder and that both Dedmon and Rice should be indicted. Neither one of them has entered a plea and both of their lawyers have not responded to those in media that are trying to get an interview.
In conclusion, this hate crime has open many eyes in this nation. People are still in disbelief that this has even taken place in today's world, but the truth is it has and it does. There are many more similar incidents of this nature that we NEVER hear of and go unspoken, but this one has a voice and is being heard and tried in a court of law. My condolences goes out to James Anderson's family and sympathy to the "families" of both Dedmon and Rice. All of the families involved are suffering no matter how it is look upon; it is a tragedy on so many levels. "No one wins the race in racism."
Just about a year later there's a verdict in this update of Deryl Demon, John A. Rice and Dylan Butler who participated in this hate crime and killing of Mr. Anderson from CNN: Three Men Lead Guilty to Federal Hate Crimes In Mississippi Killing
Update on case:
2 White Women In Mississippi, Part of Racist Gang, Sentenced 5 to 8 years in Prison For Killing Black man
3 Sentence To Prison In Slaying of Black Man in Mississippi
Learn more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/us/09hate.html
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/08/racially-motivated-killing-in-mississippi-caught-on-video/
http://www.bet.com/news/national/2011/08/08/video-shows-mississippi-teens-driving-over-and-killing-a-black-man.html
