These photos released by the Lamar County Sheriff�s Office show Charles Costley, left, and Shannon Finley, both 27, who face murder charges in the dragging death of Brandon McClelland in Lamar County, Texas. His torn-apart body was found on a rural Texas road on Sept. 16, 2008. AP Photo/Lamar County Sheriff�s Office

Facing up to life in prison if convicted, defendants Shannon Finley and Charles Ryan Crostley, are accused of killing 24-year-old Brandon McClelland by hitting and dragging him over 70 feet beneath a pickup truck after the three went on a late-night beer run across state lines.

Mr. Finley was also indicted Dec. 11 on evidence tampering charges alleging he tried to wash Mr. McClelland’s blood from the undercarriage of the truck. Mr. Crostley was further indicted on charges of retaliation for threatening a potential witness before he was apprehended. Both defendants remain behind bars without bail.

The McClelland family, and civil rights groups have been pressing authorities to look into the murder as a possible hate crime based upon Mr. Finley’s rumored affiliation with a White supremacist group allegedly joined while in prison several years ago.

“Even with the charge of first degree murder, there may still be a possibility that these murderers of my son will be back on the streets. I want them to have life without the possibility of parole. To never get out,” said Jacqueline McClelland to The Final Call.

“There are people who know that Shannon (Finley) is a part of a White supremacist group and I hope they are interviewed. This needs to be charged as a hate crime also because friends don’t lynch friends,” she said.

Special Prosecutor Toby Shook did not present hate crime charges to the grand jury but noted that “we’re still looking at things. You can always go back to the grand jury and reindict.”

“If we see evidence of hate crime we’ll act appropriately. If we don’t, still it’s just going to be a thorough investigation looking at every aspect of this case,” he said to a Dallas news station. Mr. Shook met with McClelland family early this month.

“Even after this indictment, we are not going to stop protesting,” said Brenda Cherry, a Paris activist, to The Final Call.

Mr. McClelland’s partially dismembered body was found on a Lamar County highway on the morning of Sept. 16, and was initially identified as a hit-and-run accident by local law enforcement. An autopsy report confirmed that parts of Mr. McClelland’s brain was missing, his skull fractured and one leg was nearly ripped off.

A trial is not expected to take place until spring of next year.

Related links:

Jasper-style lynching in Paris, Texas? (FCN, 10-24-2008)