Topic: hate crime

TEP urges prosecution in church shooting as a hate crime

July 31, 2008 |

The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) and the Tennessee Equality Project Foundation have extended their support, thoughts and prayers to the victims, families, and the entire community of Knoxville after a shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church claimed the lives of two congregation members, and injured others. Leaders also encouraged District Attorneys to prosecute the incident as a hate crime, as Tennessee’s hate crimes statute explicitly includes religion and sexual orientation. A signed, four page letter authored by the gunman stated his hate for “liberals” and “gays.”

Carla Lewis, a member of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition who often attended church services and group meetings at TVUUC, was present at the time of the shooting. She reflected on the horror of her recent experience, by recounting to Out & About Newspaper, “We saw children and adults with blood on their clothes. We saw the worst side of human cruelty we had ever seen.” «Read the rest of this article»

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Home vandalism stirs alarm in Jackson, TN; incident viewed as ‘hate crime’

By Turner McCullough Jr. | April 28, 2008 |

Racial epithets amid high dollar vandalism alarms citizens, but not police

Vandalism of a Dorothy Cove home in Jackson has caused alarm and distress. The Jackson Police Department (JPD), is investigating the vandalism as a property crime. The damage has been estimated at between $8,00 and $10,000. However the Jackson-Madison County Branch of the NAACP has said it views the incident also as a hate crime. Police have not denied that racial epithets were found at the home last Tuesday, as part of their investigation.

Harrel Carter, president of the Jackson-Madison County NAACP Branch issued a press statement denouncing the hate crime. He based the characterization on the presence of racial epithets found in the home on Dorothy Cove. Carter held a press conference in the lobby of the Jackson Police Department, 234 Institute St.

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