Feds Charge Ole Miss Student With Hanging Noose On Meredith Statue

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

The Justice Department on Friday brought federal civil rights charges against a University of Mississippi student who allegedly hung a noose on a statue of James Meredith, Ole Miss' first black student.

Charging documents identified the suspect in the Feb. 14, 2014 incident as Graeme Phillip Harris, a student at Ole Miss, according to a DOJ press release.

Harris was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate civil rights and one count of using threat of force to intimidate black students because of their race. He was accused of hanging a rope and a flag sporting the Confederate battle emblem around the neck of the Meredith statue.

Last winter, police had said they were close to bringing criminal charges against three freshmen students suspected of taking part in the racially charged vandalism. The university's Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity chapter also expelled three of its members suspected to have been involved in the incident, leading the fraternity's national organization to suspend that local chapter.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/graeme-phillip-harris-indicted-civil-rights-noose-ole-miss

[geek tragedy]

1. I'm sure some white people will say this is just punishing him for free speech nt

[Starry Messenger]

3. Yup.

They're quiet today.

[geek tragedy]

4. have they commented on the SAE news today? nt

[Starry Messenger]

5. Nope.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Graeme Phillip Harris has been charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights and using a threat of

Graeme Phillip Harris has been charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights and using a threat of force

March 27, 2015 3:13PM ET

A Georgia man has been indicted on federal civil rights charges connected to a noose being put on a statue of the student who integrated the University of Mississippi, the Justice Department said Friday.

The noose and a former Georgia flag that prominently featured the Confederate battle emblem were placed on the James Meredith statue on the Ole Miss campus in Oxford in February 2014. In 1962, Meredith had to be escorted by armed federal agents as he became the first black student admitted to the university under court order.

The Justice Department said in a news release Friday that Graeme Phillip Harris of Alpharetta, Georgia, had been indicted on one count of conspiracy to violate civil rights and one count of using a threat of force to intimidate African-American students because of their race or color.

"This shameful and ignorant act is an insult to all Americans and a violation of our most strongly-held values," Attorney General Eric Holder said in announcing the indictment.

More:
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/3/27/man-charged-in-noose-left-on-integration-statue-at-ole-miss.html

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Graeme Phillip Harris: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Published 3:05 pm EDT, March 27, 2015 Updated 4:27 pm EDT, March 27, 2015 Comment By Paul Farrell

http://heavy.com/news/2015/03/graeme-phillip-harris-james-meredith-statue-noose-ole-miss/