Mississippi man charged in cross burning near black residence
Published 11:22 am Monday, July 1, 2019
A white man faces federal charges in a 2017 cross burning outside the home of African American residents in a small Mississippi town.
Court documents show Graham Williamson is charged with intimidating and interfering with fair housing and conspiring to use fire or explosives to commit a felony.
The U.S. attorney for south Mississippi filed an information June 24, saying on Oct. 24, 2017, Williamson and another person built a wooden cross and burned it “with the intention of intimidating and frightening” black residents of Seminary, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) south of Jackson.
An information is similar to an indictment but is often filed when a person facing charges waives the right to have a grand jury consider a case.
Court records Monday didn’t list an attorney for Williamson.