Benjamin Haskell (pictured) pled guilty on Wednesday to burning down a black church after Barack Obama won the presidency back in November of 2008.
The 23-year-old, along with co-conspirators Thomas A. Gleason, Jr., 22, and Michael F. Jacques, 25, were charged with conspiracy and damaging religious property because of race, color or ethnic characteristics.
According to the indictment, on election night, Haskell, Jacques and Gleason angrily used racial slurs to express their dissatisfaction with President Obama's win when they plotted to burn down the African American Macedonia Church of God in Christ. The men then started a fire that engulfed and destroyed the church, which is located in Springfield, Mass. Several firemen who responded to the call were seriously injured.
Investigators determined that the blaze was caused by an unspecified dousing of gasoline that was discovered on the building's interior and exterior.
U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortizof the District of Massachusetts said in a U.S. Department of Justice press release, "The conviction should send a strong message that hate crimes will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in Massachusetts. When I announced my civil rights initiative earlier this month, I made it clear that the U.S. Attorney General's Office will be reinvigorating its efforts in this area, and making it one our top priorities."
Prosecutors offered a plea deal, which will result in a nine-year prison term. Haskell faces sentencing scheduled for Sept. 29.
09-June-10 - Todd Bridges, who co-starred with Gary Coleman on the popular sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes,"is livid about both Globe Magazine's and Shannon Price's involvement in Coleman's death photos.
09-June-10 - Todd Bridges, who co-starred with Gary Coleman on the popular sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes,"is livid about both Globe Magazine's and Shannon Price's involvement in Coleman's death photos.
08-June-10 - Desiree Rogers, the former White House social secretary who "left" to seek greener pastures after a major security faux paux occurred under her watch, was recently hired by Johnson Publishing Co., the owners of Jet and Ebony magazines, as a consultant.
07-June-10 - A Seattle writer is angry beyond words, because late last month his 8-year-old child was removed from her honors elementary school class. No, the child did not misbehave. Instead, the little girl was guilty of using a hair moisturizer that allegedly annoyed her Caucasian teacher.
04-June-10 - Alejandra, Jermaine Jackson's ex-wife, is taking her ex-mother-in-law, Katherine, to court to demand financial security for herself and her children.
01-June-2010 - In an effort to tackle the latest crisis, the horrendous BP oil spill in the Gulf Coast, Bill Maher thinks Obama needs to act more like a "real black president" and go in to the BP meetings flashing his gat.
25-May-2010 - Ex-police Lt. Jon Burge may have overseen the torture of and obtained coerced confessions from more than 100 African-American men over the course of a 22-year career.
I don't understand why people should be punished for something they can't help. I would give anything for someone to see that me and my 2 girls love our skin (and we should) and so should we all. Do these type of people really think that we enjoy torcher, discrimination, disrespect, and all the hate one can imagine? It's not just the KKK or Skin Heads, but those who are miserable with their own lives and need to blame it on someone else. Who else better to take it out on than a different race? I say if I can't see my own daughters, parents or any other family members suffer in the way that I put apon someone else... then I can't do it. Shoot, I scream and cry when I see someone hurt... let alone me inflicting that pain on them. It's a shame but I hope that man really didn't have that much hate in his heart, and if he did, I pray that it is no longer there.
lshutemdown: Wow that was a very moving post!!You are very right about people thinking that if some one white does some thing "stupid" that it must be the KKK. Sorry but some times it's just a nut job like this guy. Funny how some peeps will blame all whites when some thing like this happens, but will get mad that other peeps judge them by some one else's action of their own race??? very interesting! I am white and think that their actions are sick! I am glad that they will be going away. See you are on the right track. These guys are with out a doubt carrying around some serious issues about their own life, in this situation they took it out on this church and blamed it on Prez Obama being elected. If it was not the church it would of been some thing or some one else. And they could blame it on any number of reasons, i.e. Obama. But the bottem line is they have some serious issues! I for one are glad they were caught and are off the streets where they can not hurt another person or burn down another church! Some times peeps do bad things and it is just that they are bad! I was inspired by your post and was moved to say thanks for teaching your girls how to be a good person by example. I hope they read your post!! Thanks!!!
I hope this comment gte read by a young black . I am black .Do you all realize how bad you all look killing your own people .Yes there are bad in every race . Our young black are killing @ a higher rate . I hate to say what I am going to say. White peopel don't have to do any thing to us we are killing each other,Doing it to ourselves and they are laughing @you all ,Because you are so stupid .What kind of life u think you will have after you kill some one .Your pants hanging down peopel are laughing @ you all big time .Where is the gentelman in you .No one is going to give u a job dressed like that . You all are your own worst enemy ,For goodness sakes stop all this killing.
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By: ADMR on 6/17/2010 3:31PM
He Is No Better Or Worse Than These GUILTY Plantation Negroes WE SEE...
That Poor *** Clean Up Man AND
Poor Michelle, As Blogged Earlier - She's On the Cover ( get it ) Again
What a Fake Mess...NEXT!
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By: jay on 6/17/2010 4:09PM
And you must be the proud father!!
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By: Sherie on 6/17/2010 3:57PM
His parents must have been in the KKK and it rubbed off on him and he thought that he could get away with it still.
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By: lorraine on 6/17/2010 7:04PM
GO TO JAIL-NINE YEARS IS NOT LONG ENOUGH!!
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By: GONNA ALWAYS HAVE MY SAY on 6/17/2010 7:36PM
YET ANOTHER STUPID,IGNORANT, BACKWARDS-ASS K K K WHITE-TRASH SWINE MAGGOT!
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By: Danie on 6/17/2010 8:01PM
And some white ppl say racism doesn't exist
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By: Ishutemdown on 6/18/2010 12:52AM
I don't understand why people should be punished for something they can't help. I would give anything for someone to see that me and my 2 girls love our skin (and we should) and so should we all. Do these type of people really think that we enjoy torcher, discrimination, disrespect, and all the hate one can imagine? It's not just the KKK or Skin Heads, but those who are miserable with their own lives and need to blame it on someone else. Who else better to take it out on than a different race? I say if I can't see my own daughters, parents or any other family members suffer in the way that I put apon someone else... then I can't do it. Shoot, I scream and cry when I see someone hurt... let alone me inflicting that pain on them. It's a shame but I hope that man really didn't have that much hate in his heart, and if he did, I pray that it is no longer there.
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By: jeromequigley on 6/18/2010 1:02PM
lshutemdown: Wow that was a very moving post!!You are very right about people thinking that if some one white does some thing "stupid" that it must be the KKK. Sorry but some times it's just a nut job like this guy. Funny how some peeps will blame all whites when some thing like this happens, but will get mad that other peeps judge them by some one else's action of their own race??? very interesting! I am white and think that their actions are sick! I am glad that they will be going away. See you are on the right track. These guys are with out a doubt carrying around some serious issues about their own life, in this situation they took it out on this church and blamed it on Prez Obama being elected. If it was not the church it would of been some thing or some one else. And they could blame it on any number of reasons, i.e. Obama. But the bottem line is they have some serious issues! I for one are glad they were caught and are off the streets where they can not hurt another person or burn down another church! Some times peeps do bad things and it is just that they are bad! I was inspired by your post and was moved to say thanks for teaching your girls how to be a good person by example. I hope they read your post!! Thanks!!!
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By: Warren D on 6/18/2010 1:50AM
Gonna pray for you "Bill W".....pray that you die a slow, horrifying death - and real soon.
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By: stare k on 6/18/2010 10:31AM
I hope this comment gte read by a young black . I am black .Do you all realize how bad you all look killing your own people .Yes there are bad in every race . Our young black are killing @ a higher rate . I hate to say what I am going to say. White peopel don't have to do any thing to us we are killing each other,Doing it to ourselves and they are laughing @you all ,Because you are so stupid .What kind of life u think you will have after you kill some one .Your pants hanging down peopel are laughing @ you all big time .Where is the gentelman in you .No one is going to give u a job dressed like that . You all are your own worst enemy ,For goodness sakes stop all this killing.
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