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Megan Williams assailant worried about what the children might think

By Carmen D. on Thursday, February 7th, 2008, 8:36 am Comments

The first Hate Crime indictment has been handed down in the Megan Williams case, and the accused, Karen Burton, 46, is “relieved:”

Karen Burton was “a little surprised” by the hate crime charge but was relieved that an earlier sexual assault count was not included in the indictment, said her attorney, Betty Gregory.

“She didn’t want her children to think anything like that about her,” Gregory said.

Hate-Crime Count in W.Va. Torture Case, Shaya Tayefe Mohajer, Associated Press

More:

Karen Burton, 46, of Chapmanville, was indicted Tuesday on charges of committing a hate crime, kidnapping and malicious wounding. Three others were indicted on counts including kidnapping, sexual assault and conspiracy.

Prosecutors say Williams, 20, was held captive for days at a trailer in Big Creek, where she was forced to eat animal feces, sexually assaulted and stabbed. She was rescued Sept. 8 after an anonymous caller alerted Logan County sheriff’s deputies.

Logan County prosecutor Brian Abraham said Burton stabbed Williams in the ankle while saying, “This is what we do to n—— down here.” Hate-Crime Count in W.Va. Torture Case, Shaya Tayefe Mohajer, Associated Press

I don’t think Megan Williams captivity and the actions of her violent captors provide any broad framework for understanding American race relations. But Karen Burton’s response to the Hate Crime charges does say something worth noting, I think. The fact that Burton would rather be thought of as a virulent, torturing racist than a rapist does seem reflect a truth in our society at large. Racism might not get you demonized, but any hint of same sex “impropriety” and you are exiled.

It’s funny, I had a direct experience with public hate yesterday afternoon. A dear friend and I were driving down a very well traveled street in a part of town filled with people of all colors. While we were stopped at a light, a young man coming out of his apartment caught my eye. He was shirtless, bald and covered with tatoos. So I said to my friend, who was in the passenger seat, “Don’t look now, but there’s a Nazi to our right.” And as she turned to look at him, he snarled and raised his left arm in the Nazi salute yelling “Sieg Heil!” Unfortunately, I’ve been around Nazi’s before, and they always irk me but I’ve rarely felt threatened. Maybe that is overly cavalier. But my friend, who is Jewish, was deeply disturbed by such a public display of hatred.

Hat tip Electronic Village

  • fcg#p
    my anger and is towards the ignorant liberal jerks who think that disarming law abiding responsible citizens will reduce crime.
    when i am in red states where everyone is potentially armed (texas, south carolina,etc.) folks are a hell of a lot more polite to one another.
  • fcg#p, sorry to hear that you had a gun pulled on you, that sounds extremely upsetting and I hear your anger loud and clear. Evil comes in all shapes and sizes, unfortunately. In any case, and in all sincerity, I wish you peace and safety.
  • fcg#p
    didn't i use the phrase nazi bastard?

    45 min ago i had a young black guy about 27 28 yrs old pull a damn gun on me for no reason, laugh, and walk away. unfortunately,
    i am in a state where my permit isn't recognized or i would have dropped the son of a bitch before he could blink. this guy was well dressed like everyone else out in the street. if a white person looks twice out of fear at a black person, they are usually called racist. if a black person does it, it is legitimate fear. it's identifying a double standard, not a criticizing a persons emotions.
    I have met so many grizzly, tattooed biker types that have been drug through the garden, rehabed, and turned the new leaf that i can't count them.
    all i am saying is that you cant always judge a book by it's
    cover.
  • and fcg#p it is interesting that you would choose to address my perceived "presumption" rather than any aspect of what actually occurred. I don't understand why that was your priority here.
  • fcg#p...you are attempting to make a joke here, right? I spend a fair amount of time with inner city youth...never met a counselor with SWASTIKAS and Iron crosses all over the neck and shoulders. But, maybe you will share with us your divergent experiences? EDIT- And what do you mean criticize someone's "fear"? What specifically are you talking about? Everyone I know, black folks who are preyed upon in particular, are afraid of the "soljahs" slanging dope on the corner. Good working people are the one's who are most victimized by them. Please be specific. I don't understand your comment.
  • fcg#p
    not for nothing but... the driver in this case is the one who prejudged
    a person on their appearance. In this case, yes he turned out to be a nazi bastard, but what if he was a born again inner city youth counselor? think about that next time you criticize people for being afraid of a young black man with 2 pairs of pants halfway down his backside, hooded sweatshirt & bandanna covering his head and face,
    big 'ol grill in his mouth cursing out of the corners in unintelligible
    hood speak...
  • True...hating blacks isn't such a crime in the region of a country that once used N*gga-lover as a hate term. And sexuality and sexual issues are still verboten in some places. Who wants his kid to think he's a sex-crazed person? Even if hate isn't connected to the crime, it just makes one look like a.........sinner.

    Trouble here too is that the hate crime carries less punishment. I personally think it was stupid for black folks to ask that it be a hate crime when hate crime gets less jail time in that state than kidnapping and sexual crimes. Sometimes we ought to know when to keep our mouths shut. Unless we want hate crime ADDED to existing charges...instead of being used INSTEAD OF...we should be careful what we ask for.

    -C
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