National

3 Sentenced to Prison in Slaying of Black Man in Mississippi

Published

10 years ago

February 11, 2015

Oakland Post

James Craig Anderson (Family Photo)

JACK ELLIOTT JR., Associated Press

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — Three young white men who admitted they were out hunting black people to attack when they beat, ran over and killed a 47-year-old car plant worker in Mississippi’s capital city were sentenced Tuesday to federal prison following a hate crimes investigation.

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves sentenced Deryl Paul Dedmon to 50 years; John Aaron Rice to 18 ½ years; and Dylan Wade Butler to seven years on the most serious of the counts against them, commission of a hate crime. Dedmon, 22, Rice, 21, and Butler, 23, are all from Brandon, Mississippi.

Dedmon also faces two life sentences in state prison. He pleaded guilty in a Mississippi court in 2012 to capital murder and hate crime.

“What these people did was ugly, painful and sad and criminal,” Reeves said.

They were charged in the June 2011 death of James Craig Anderson.

All three, wearing red prison jumpsuits and shackled at the waist and ankles, took to a podium to apologize to members of Anderson’s family for their actions. “I want to tell the Anderson family how truly sorry I am,” Dedmon said.

The apologies came after an impassioned condemnation of their actions from Anderson’s sister. Barbara Anderson Young said her brother’s death came “at the hands of these strangers with eyes full of hatred.”

She said her brother “helplessly fought to stay alive” as he was attacked by people he did not know.

“My God have mercy on your sinful souls,” Young said.

Prosecutors said the youths harassed or assaulted people who they thought were homeless or intoxicated. Victims were chosen because they thought they would not tell police, authorities said. The harassment began in April 2011, culminating in the death of Anderson.

The three pleaded guilty in March 2012 to one count of conspiracy and one count of committing a hate crime. Each was sentenced to five years on the conspiracy count to run concurrent with the other.

In Dedmon’s case, Reeves said the federal sentenced would run concurrent with his state sentence. Dedmon was at the wheel of a truck that ran over Anderson in the parking lot of a Jackson hotel. The scene was caught on a security camera at the hotel.

The surveillance video, obtained by The Associated Press and other media, shows a white Jeep Cherokee in which Rice was allegedly a passenger leaving a hotel parking lot at 5:05 a.m. Less than 20 seconds later, a Ford truck backs up and then lunges forward. Anderson’s shirt is illuminated in the headlights before he disappears under the vehicle next to the curb.

Before sentencing the three, Reeves told the courtroom that the Anderson’s death reflected the “inhumanity of racism” with which Mississippi has dealt throughout its history.

Seven others are awaiting sentencing.

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OP-ED: The Illusion of Allyship. White Women, Your Yard Signs Mean Nothing to Me

NNPA NEWSWIRE – “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 9, 2024

Oakland Post

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us. Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls.

A Familiar Disappointment

I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and phone-banked. Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

The Illusion of Solidarity—Symbols Are Not Enough

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. “The blue bracelets are something White women are wearing so others can see that they didn’t vote for Trump,” says Liberal Lisa from Oklahoma on X. Chile, bye. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their Harris-Walz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

One clever campaign ad from Harris-Walz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But it seems many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

A Call for Action Beyond Words

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand.

If you choose not to act, we see you—and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of BlackPressUSA.com or the National Newspaper Publishers Association.