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| Harris |
Graeme Phillip Harris, a former student at the University of
Mississippi, was sentenced to six months in prison. While intoxicated, Harris
and two former fraternity brothers hung a rope and a Georgia state Confederate
flag on the campus statue of James Meredith. Meredith was the first
African-American student to attend the university.
Harris pleaded guilty to one count of using a threat of
force to intimidate African-American Students. He did not plead guilty to one
count of conspiracy to violate civil rights although he was indicted on both
charges. Harris’ defense attorney, David G. Hill, argued he should not be
spared from prison because of his intoxicated state.
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| James Meredith Statue |
“When he sobered up after the incident, Harris sent his
younger sister a text message that said, “I have done something that will mess
up the rest of my life,” Hill also stated in Harris’ defense.
The fraternity brothers from the Sigma Phi Epsilon
fraternity were not charged. Hill claims “racism was blatantly and actively
practiced,” within the fraternity along with the underage drinking that was
taking place. Harris, 21, joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon as a freshman, but the
fraternity was closed after the crime took place.
Harris was arrested on March 27, 2015. He is set to begin
serving his sentence on January 4, 2016.
Read the original article by Southern Poverty Law Center here
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