Posted on 08/17/2006 8:38:19 AM PDT by Cagey
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A St. Johns County man pleaded guilty to burning a cross in his own front yard in an effort to intimidate a black family that was considering buying a house in his Hastings neighborhood, according to WJXT-TV.
Neal Chapman Coombs, 50, admitted to setting fire to a cross in January while a family was negotiating to purchase the house across the street.
According to the plea agreement, when the black family came to inspect the house, he made a derogatory remark to one of the children, then poured something flammable on a cross and set it on fire. According to documents, he then said to the child, "I don't want to see you around here again."
"My Jesus Lord, he didn't look like the type to me -- he did not," said Ester Ray, another resident of the neighborhood.
Ray said she was shocked that Coombs did it, WJXT-TV reported.
"I just can't believe that, because the man never bothered me," she said.
Another neighbor who has known Coombs for years told WJXT's Dan Leveton that it was a bird feeder that was burned.
"Probably he lit it on fire. What he said I don't know," resident Buzzy Dupont said. "He had to plead guilty because he could have got more time if he hadn't."
Coombs pleaded guilty to a federal charge of criminal interference with right to fair housing, which could result in 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Coombs' actual sentence will be determined by a judge at a later date.
"Cross burning remains a vicious symbol of hatred," said Wan J. Kim, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department. "All families have the right to live where they choose, undisturbed by such racist threats. This prosecution sends a clear message that we will not tolerate this criminal conduct."
The family that eventually bought the home across from Coombs did not know anything about the incident.
"I would never expect nothing like that," Adelia DeFalco said. "I almost feel horrible that I bought the house from people that that happened to."
/s
Lock him up in Starke, and make sure he is not among his ethnicity..
White trash, and bigots of ALL races, know no geographical boundary.
If he's in Starke, the only people of his own ethnicity will be the guards....
Seems a bit much. A punch in the mouth should surfice.
Maybe I'm a moron......but if my neighbor erected and burned a couple of sticks fashioned into a cross in his front yard I would just assume his elevator didn't reach the top floor.
He and I were good friends, years ago, and I never saw anything like this coming. Although we did have that falling out after watching the episode of Good Times where J.J. painted the portrait of Black Jesus (whom later turned out to be Ned The Wino).
Well, ever since his Cool Mom died, ol' Neal's just been kinda rudderless.
In my old neighborhood, the black couple across the street had been there since the tract was built in 1975. People were leaving racist messages on their lawns and all kinds of crap including breaking out the windows in their car when they first moved in.
They were excellent neighbors, stupid hick racists.
Is there actually a law against burning a cross in your own yard? Is there? I don't think so.
sw
A creative judge could probably come up with a fitting sentence. I'm a fan of public humiliation.
Yeah, I remember when a section 8 black family moved in a couple of houses down in an excellent area, my neighbors car was set on fire a few weeks later, by the "new kids on the block".
Post, you did. Sarcasm will come of this, I fear. /Yoda
"Good" folks like Coombs are the reason why Blanco was elected Governor in Louisiana over Bobby Jindal.
Gee, ya think?
It depends on intent, apparently. If you're burning it to intimidate black potential home buyers it's a crime.
Coombs pleaded guilty to a federal charge of criminal interference with right to fair housing
If you're burning it because you think burning crosses are pretty, I guess it wouldn't be illegal, but I have little doubt that the court would presume to read your mind and determine that you were really trying to intimidate black potential home buyers no matter what you claimed.
Of course, if it was a liberal burning a flag in his front yard to dissuade a marine from buying the house across the street, THAT would be protected free speech.
There's your key right there. It's not the race, it's the mindset that comes w/living off of the government.
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