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Hate crime
in Mississippi
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A youth is charged with the murder of
two gay men in Laurel , Miss.
SYDNEY MARDI GRAS
FEB. 23 call - for MAR.
6. 1995
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S p e a k T o Y o u r B ro th e rs is a p ro je ct of the
M en's H IV P re ve n tio n P ro gra m at C a s c a d e A ID S P roject.
by Bob Roehr
Continued from page I
he Southern Christian
Leadership Conference,
founded by Martin Luther
King Jr., has joined the call for
outside intervention in the case
on behalf of McLindone, citing
Mississippi’s abysmal record on
“race and the criminal justice sys
tem.”
“The case of the execution-
style murder of two alleged ho
mosexuals and the 16-year-old
arrested for their murders in
cludes a multitude of inconsis
tencies and raises more questions
than it answers,” said the Rev.
Joseph Lowery, SCLC president.
Laurel is home to about half
of the 25,000 residents of rural
Jones County. Camp Sister Spirit,
the controversial feminist retreat,
lies in Ovett, about a half-hour
drive to the southeast.
Jones County Sheriff Maurice
Hooks, who is white, acknowl
edged the fact that the murder
victims were gay and has
downplayed it as not relevant to
the investigation. He denies that
the murders were a hate crime
and theorizes that robbery was
the motive. He asserts that $100
was missing from one of the de
ceased men. The sheriff does not
explain how he arrived at that
sum, nor does he discuss the facts
that the victims were found wear
ing watches and diamond rings and that their sissippians expressing fear of further homophobic
blood-spattered truck was discovered a short dis violence.
tance away.
The version of the incident that Emerson and
Those facts do not support a robbery motive. Richard have been able to piece together is that
The single bullets at close range are the mark of an Walters and Shoemaker worked together. They
execution-style, premeditated murder, not a rob were attending a potluck dinner with their respec
bery gone awry.
tive lovers and other local lesbians and gay men.
Rex McKey, identified by the local newspaper Reportedly, they left to purchase additional sup
as a friend of Walters (and by some as his lover), plies for the gathering. That was the last time they
said that the family and friends of the murdered were seen alive.
men are upset with the national attention the case
The perilous position of Emerson and Richard
is attracting. Their nervousness can be read as a was reinforced when, during a phone conference
barometer of the local reaction to the media atten with eight others at NGLTF, a housekeeping crew
tion as the insular com
knocked at the door de
munity circles its wag “The case of the execution-style manding they clear out
ons.
within the hour.
murder of two alleged
Todd Emerson and
Emerson and Richard
April Richard are lead- homosexuals and the 16-year-old felt that the crew were
ers of G.L. Friendly, a arrested far their murders includes actually sheriffs, as one
lesbian and gay com- a multitude of inconsistencies and wore a watch that was
mumty center on the
raises more questions than it ¡^,e.!ed “hlghway pa'
Gulf Coast. They trav
eled north to Laurel af
answers, ” said the Rev. Joseph
Richard said that
ter receiving several
police had followed
Lowery, SCLC president.
phone calls about the
them as they drove, and
murder. They want to ensure that the murders are that Sheriff Hooks had warned them not to “stir up
not covered up but are thoroughly investigated. “If things” or he would “drive them out of the county.”
that’s not done, we could be next,” said Emerson.
Myron Marlin, spokesman for the Justice De
Emerson and Richard have remained in Laurel, partment, said regarding FBI intervention, “We
pressing the sheriff on point after point of the are aware of the situation and are trying to deter
investigation.
mine if there is any federal jurisdiction. There is no
“The local folks are just scared to death and not federal law outlawing violence against individuals
talking, said Richard. That sentiment was echoed on the basis of sexual orientation.”
by residents alCamp Sister Spirit. TTiey reported ' i~ r ___■. . .
/ A f - ___. ¡A -
numerous phone calls from lesbian and gay Mis-
Renee LaChance contributed to this article.
T
Myron Marlin,
spokesman for the
Justice Department,
said regarding FBI intervention,
“There is no federal law
outlawing violence against
individuals on the basis of
sexual orientation. ”