By Brittney Hodnik
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

WASHINGTON, United States – A community in Mississippi is mourning the loss of James Craig Anderson, the victim of a racially fueled murder.  Human rights groups are heading to the community to speak out against such a horrible crime.  Sadly, not many are shocked by the racist attitudes still present in modern day Mississippi

James Craig Anderson was killed in a hit and run in June.  The attackers – a truck full of white teenagers – were caught on surveillance video.  Mississippi has now formally charged the ringleader, 19-year-old Deryl Dedmon, with capital murder. 

Hinds County District Attorney, Robert Smith called it a hate crime, alleging that Dedmon set out to harm a black person, according to WLBT news, an NBC affiliate.  Smith is quoted as saying, “Dedmon murdered this man because he was black,” according to Peoplesworld.org.  National civil rights groups agree that Dedmon and his friends were intentionally seeking a black person to harm, as reported by The New York Times.

After drinking at a party, Dedmon rounded up some friends to go “f**k with some n****s,” according to Peoplesworld.org.  The group found Anderson in a parking lot, immediately assaulted, and robbed him while yelling, “White power!” and other racial slurs.  Eventually, Dedmon got back into a green truck, and ran Anderson over before fleeing the scene.  Peoplesworld.org further reports that Dedmon called some friends to brag about running Anderson over.

The New Order National Human Rights Organization based out of Georgia travelled to Mississippi on August 20 to speak out against the brutal murder, as reported by The Clarion Ledger.  Gerald Rose, founder and CEO of the group, said their message was to “put Mississippi on alert” about racial injustice and hatred.

Dr. Timothy Summers, a psychiatrist in Jackson, Mississippi told The New York Times, “Racism has always been part of the lifestyle in Mississippi in one form or another.”  Rev. Brian Richardson of Castlewood Baptist Church was close with Anderson.  He and his family told The New York Times that while racism is not unique to the Deep South, a deep streak of “us and them” exists.

Dedmon and his family have refused comment, but Dedmon’s high school classmates stand by him, suggesting that what he did was an accident and that they are no racists.  Dedmon, in a letter to his younger sister told her to “choose her friends wisely . . . My so-called friends got me in here,” according to The New York Times

Although many feel that racism is not present anymore, it is clear that it is still an issue in the United States.  Francis Sutton of Jackson told The Clarion Ledger, “If anybody’s freedom is at stake, everybody’s freedom is at stake.”

For more information, please visit:

The New York Times — Weighing Race and Hate in a Mississippi Killing – 22 Aug. 2011

The Clarion Ledger —  Atlanta Group Decries Alleged Hate-Crime Slaying  — 21 Aug. 2011

WLBT News — Human Rights Group Plans to  Speak Out About James C. Anderson’s Murder — 21 Aug. 2011

Peoplesworld.org — Mississippi is Still Burning, Vicious Murder Shows — 10 Aug. 2011