Cross Burning - Recent Cases

Recent Cases

In 2007, Neal Chapman Coombs, of Hastings, Florida, was charged with knowingly and willfully intimidating and interfering with right to fair housing by threat of force and the use of fire and pleaded guilty to a racially-motivated civil rights crime involving a cross burning to prevent the purchase of a house by an African-American family. Coombs was sentenced to 14 months in prison in January, 2007.

On November 6, 2008, a Hardwick Township, New Jersey family who supported U.S. President Barack Obama's campaign found a charred wooden cross on their lawn, near burnt remnants of a "President Obama - Victory '08" banner which had been stolen from their yard.

In February 2010, an interracial Nova Scotia couple living in Hants County discovered a cross burning on their lawn, along with a noose. Two brothers were later convicted of inciting racial hatred.

In November 2011, a black male in Panama City, Florida named LB Williams burned a cross on his wife's driveway, in addition to posting a threatening letter on her froot door, in a failed attempt to discourage her from divorcing him. He later confessed to committing the crimes and was charged with stalking, vandalism, and intimidation.

In October 2012, Sharmeka Moffitt, 20, set herself on fire. The letters “KKK-N—-r” were spray-painted on the hood of her car (by her).