“An evil deed is not redeemed by an evil deed of retaliation”

Race discrimination can come in many forms, from the subtle to the outright reprehensible.  In September 2011, the criminal justice system addressed one of the most heinous acts of racism our country has seen in the past 50 years.  This incident is not a reflection on any particular part of our country.  Rather, it evidences that racism and discrimination still exist in America today and the criminal justice system is at the forefront of combating the issue.
On September 19, 2011, Deryl Dedmon was indicted for felony murder with hate-crime enhancement in Jackson, Mississippi.  It is alleged that Mr. Dedmon, who is 19 years old and White, found James Anderson, who was 48 and African American, in a motel parking lot and attacked him.  Mr. Dedmon, with a group of White teenagers beat Mr. Anderson and then Mr. Dedmon ran him over with his truck.  Afterwards, Mr. Dedmon robbed Mr. Anderson, but it has yet to be determined what was stolen, other than his life.  Prior to this vicious assault and murder, Dedmon and the group of teenagers were drinking and partying and then decided to “find a Black man to mess with.”  The atrocious assault was caught on video surveillance from a nearby hotel camera. It is further alleged that Mr. Dedmon was using racial slurs and was yelling “White power” during the assault.
The Mississippi criminal justice system, as well as the District Attorney of Hinds County Robert Smith, have taken the proper steps to address the severity of Mr. Dedmon’s actions.  Life without parole, as well as the death-sentence accompanies a conviction on these charges.

In a letter written by Barbara Anderson Young, Mr. Anderson’s sister, she asks District Attorney Smith not to consider using the death penalty in this case.  “We oppose the death penalty because it historically has been used in Mississippi and the South primarily against people of color for killing Whites.  Executing James’ killers will not balance the scales.  But sparing them may help spark a dialogue that one day will lead to the elimination of capital punishment.”  Ms. Young further commented, quoting Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., “An evil deed is not redeemed by an evil deed of retaliation.”  Ms. Young’s compassion and understanding exemplify that this particular incident of racial discrimination represents more than just that; it represents the ongoing struggle that society has in determining the most effective mechanism by which to deal with the problem of discrimination.  It further exemplifies what should be a societal goal of illuminating the continuing and ever important struggles for equality.
It is abundantly clear that racism still exists and it is evidenced in the most shocking and devastating ways.  Deryl Dedmon is only 19 years old, but he has allegedly managed to ruin the lives of two families forever, all in the name of racial hatred.  He allegedly did not know James Anderson, but James Anderson was a man with a family, just like Mr. Dedmon.  Perhaps when there is a day that we all view one another as Human, rather than as being part of a certain race, ethnicity or religion, we will be able to better succeed as a society.  Perhaps, Ms. Young’s hope that as a result of her brother’s untimely and horrific death it will enable us to engage in a critically valuable and necessary dialogue may be realized.
Although Valli Kane & Vagnini does not practice criminal law, our interests are aligned with those prosecuting hate crimes across this country in that we do fight for civil rights and the right to work and live without the injustice of bigotry and discrimination. Being discriminated against for any reason is inexcusable and we encourage all those exposed to any type of discrimination to stand up and seek justice.