Washington, DC - The NAACP released the following statement regarding the violent death of James Anderson of Jackson, Mississippi:
“I am saddened that a horrific act like this, which appears to be motivated by hate, can still occur in 2011,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “We are glad that two of the alleged attackers have been charged, and hope all individuals responsible are brought to justice and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Recently released video shows Anderson, 49, being taunted and badly beaten by a group of teenagers as he stood outside a hotel in Jackson, Mississippi. After fleeing the scene, the teens returned to find the victim limping down the street. The video, which captures the beating and subsequent murder, shows the teens running over Anderson with a pickup truck.
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith has charged Deryl Dedmon, Jr. with Murder and John Aaron Rice, with Simple Assault. Both men are from Brandon, Mississippi.
“My deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of James Anderson,” stated Derrick Johnson, President of the NAACP Mississippi State Conference. “I have full confidence in the county prosecutor that the family will see justice in the matter.”
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
