The Final Call

West Virginia rallies against hate crimes

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• 20-year old Megan Williams Survives (FCN, 10-14-2007)
• FCN Exclusive Interview with West Virginia Torture Victim Megan Williams (FCN, 10-10-2007)
• Hate crimes sweep Mid-Atlantic region (FCN, 10-06-2007)
• Anti-immigrant sentiment grows into nationwide hate crimes (FCN, 03-16-2006) 

Hundreds marched urging prosecutors to add hate crime charges to the existing charges against six White people charged in the beating, torture and sexual assault of 20-year-old Megan Williams. Photo: Kenneth Muhammad/ �If this is not a hate crime, then tear the laws up because there shouldn�t be a hate crime on the books.� �Attorney Malik Shabazz

On Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007, Megan Williams, looking renewed, spirited and strengthened, was accompanied by her adoptive parents, family members and hundreds of supporters as they participated in a protest rally and march through the streets of Charleston, West Virginia organized by the president of the Black Lawyers For Justice (BLFJ) Attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz.

At the rally, on the steps of the West Virginia state capitol building, Atty. Shabazz said that “tricky conservative right-wing legal maneuvering” is being used to prevent Megan Williams from receiving true justice, and continued to press the state of West Virginia and the U.S. Department of Justice for hate crimes to be charged in this case.

“If this is not a hate crime, then tear the laws up because there shouldn’t be a hate crime on the books,” said Atty. Shabazz, “We want the hate crimes added now.”

Atty. Shabazz, who serves as the legal advisor for the Williams family, described what happened to Megan Williams as a “family affair of Satanic activity,” referring to the mother-son and mother-daughter duos of Frankie Brewster, 49, and her 24-year-old son Bobby R. Brewster; and Karen Burton, 46, and her daughter Alisha Burton, 23, who are all charged in the case. Atty. Shabazz stated they were “devils in human form,” and their actions showed that “Satan was at work.”

“This is a hate crime in its worst way because it is affecting one of our children. It is very important for us to speak out not just for ‘Jena 6’ or for ‘Genarlow Wilson,’ but for our young Black women as well,” said 25-year-old Kassidy Johnson, who drove from Washington, D.C. Ms. Johnson is also the national campus organizer for the Feminist Majority Foundation, just one of the organizations represented at the demonstration along with numerous chapters of the New Black Panther Party (NBPP), members of the Nation of Islam, and other women’s rights organizations. Even though the NAACP’s national office refused to endorse the march, many NAACP members were heavily involved in the march.

“It was important for us to support our Sister, Megan. It’s very inspirational to see all of the people who love her. It is important for us to stand up for her,” said Tiffany Lindsay, the Student Government President at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, who traveled along with an entire busload of 65 female students from the college.

Some notables speaking at the rally were Marcia L. Dyson, wife of Professor and commentator, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson; Hashim Nzinga, national chief of staff of the New Black Panther Party; Sandra Moseley of the BMEEK community outreach program; Luz Marquez Benbow, associate director of the National Organization of Sister of Color Ending Sexual Assault (SCESA); the Reverend Paul Dunn of the First Baptist Church of Charleston; and Kenneth Glasgow, president of The Ordinary People Society (TOPS).

Charleston’s Blacks support march

There were numerous Black pastors, political officials and Charleston residents supportive of the gathering who participated in defiance of the call by Charleston’s Black Ministerial Alliance and Mayor Danny Jones to boycott the event. Councilman John Miller delivered a scathing criticism of the mayor and others who failed to support the organizers.

“Having a backbone does not apply to everyone in our community,” said Councilman Miller. “[Mayor] Danny Jones should be ashamed of himself,” he added.

Pastor Darin Freeman of Metropolitan Baptist Church told the crowd, “I came to let you know that all the Black pastors did not choose to stay away.”

Bishop James Carter of the Rehoboth Cathedral of Christ, in Charleston, W.Va., shared those sentiments as well, speaking in support of Atty. Shabazz who was characterized as an “outsider” and “troublemaker” by those who spoke out against him.

“The fact of the matter is that nothing was happening until this young man came and turned the city inside out.” said Bishop Carter. “The enemy planned what he planned for evil and The Lord has turned it for good. To the ministers that are divided—we should have been able to come together for a common cause.” said Bishop Carter.

Local and

federal hate crimes

Beyond the demonstration that occurred, a larger and more expansive discussion has begun as lawmakers are forced to remove the gray areas and subtleties of hate crime legislation.

In the case of Megan Williams, Atty. Shabazz has continuously pressed for hate crime charges to be filed in the case against the six defendants charged with the brutal crime, who, according to their own written statements and Megan’s account of the events, used racial epithets repeatedly during her days of assault and captivity at the Logan County trailer.

Logan County Prosecutor Brian Abraham has declined to pursue hate crime charges, stating that a prior “social relationship” existed between Megan and Bobby Brewster, which could unnecessarily complicate the case. He also maintains that the kidnapping charges, which carry a maximum life sentence, and sexual assault charges, which carry a sentence of 35 years, are sufficient to ensure that the defendants spend the rest of their lives in prison if a jury finds them guilty. West Virginia does not have the death penalty.

At present, 45 states have hate crime laws; however, they vary greatly in their application and punishment from state to state. West Virginia’s state hate crimes carry only an additional 10-year maximum penalty.

There are some states in which hate crimes are considered “stand alone” violations that can be charged independently, and other states consider hate crimes “penalty enhancements,” which are then added to assault, vandalism or battery charges. It is not uncommon for prosecutors to pursue crimes with stiff penalties as opposed to the relatively weaker hate crime charges, which are often more symbolic and designed to send a message. Supporters of filing hate crime charges say this is exactly why they should be brought against the six defendants in the case of Megan Williams.

Nationwide support for Megan and the Williams Family

The Williams family said they are standing strong, and remarked that much attention has been generated by the case after the exclusive interview appeared in The Final Call newspaper (FCN Volume 27, Number 2, October 16, 2007). The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan sent an investigative team to West Virginia to determine the facts of the case and to minister unto the family on behalf of himself and the Nation of Islam.

Carmen Williams said that since then, they have received packages, cards, flowers and well wishes from all over the globe.

“I want the whole nation and the world to know that we thank you for your support for my daughter Megan, and our family. Our trust in the Lord has helped us to get through this,” she said, glancing over at Megan with a loving smile. “Megan is sleeping through the night; she is laughing again [and] her appetite is back. Mr. Shabazz has been excellent and wonderful to our family. We could never thank him enough,” she added.

Megan also had some words for her supporters.

“I’m doing a whole lot better,” said Megan, flashing a bright smile. “It makes me feel happy that I have friends all over the country. I’m overwhelmed.”