Headlines
Former UM Student Sentenced to Federal Prison for James Meredith Incident
By Amelia Camurati
This morning in the U.S. District Court of Northern Mississippi, Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced former University of Mississippi student Graeme Phillips Harris to six months in prison for helping place the noose and the former Georgia flag with a Confederate emblem on the James Meredith’s statue last February.
Harris also has to serve 100 hours in community service for a nonprofit program. After serving the six months, he will be under supervised release for a year. He will begin serving the sentence this coming January so he may complete his classes beforehand.
On March 27, 2014, a federal grand jury indicted Harris on one count of conspiracy to violate civil rights, a charge that carried a heavy sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison, and one count of using a threat of force to intimidate African-American students because of their race or color. Harris then pleaded guilty to the latter charge on a plea agreement on June 18.
In the court documents provided by the U.S. District of Northern Mississippi attorney’s office after his guilty plea was entered this past June on intimidating African-American students and faculty at the university, Harris along with two other people identified as Austin Edenfield and Arthur McCarty were drinking at the former Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and decided to “create a sensation on campus” using a Confederate flag.
According to the court documents, Edenfield recalled Harris saying, “It’s James Meredith. People will go crazy.”
“Those who would use threats and intimidation to spread fear and hatred through our schools and workplaces should know that the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute these cases,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Civil Rights Division. “No one should have to endure threats or intimidation because of their race or the color of their skin.”
The investigation is ongoing. Austin Edenfield reportedly may face charges related to the incident.
Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor for HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.
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lane bradshaw
September 18, 2015 at 9:24 am
That is petty, since no individual was designated, what about putting a noose around the literal neck of those who actual violate the rights of others,? I dont know perhaps a President guilty of stirring racial strife would be more inclined to receive such a thing than one who is general in their intentions. He has been far more direct in his instigations than anyone who could fly a flag or even display a noose. If ever a tyrant deserved the noose, it is our race baiting half breed president
Chris Carpenter
September 18, 2015 at 10:14 am
why not give more than one point of view ,rather than bashing the president ,let’s admit the wrong doing of the guilty parties. The previous comment is as racist and very disrescpful to the leader of The Free World!! You should think twice about what you allow to be printed. This does not make the University look like the progressive school it’s trying to protray!
Anonymous
September 18, 2015 at 10:57 pm
This is dumb. Some drunk kids tried to make a stir to get attention. It is Mississippi. The rebel flag is literally part of the state flag. They were almost certainly not trying to be racist or intimidate anyone. They were just drunk, attention hungry, and stupid. While I completely agree this was a stupid and uncalled for event. It is equally as stupid and uncalled for to send these kids to a FEDERAL prison over it. This is an over reaction of the worst kind. Six months in federal prison can ruin a life and or create a real criminal out of someone who just drank to much and made a very poor decision in an attempt to get attention. In reality though no one was harmed, and it is highly unlikely any black ole miss students actually felt threatened by this.
Nope
September 19, 2015 at 1:56 pm
I hate to break it to you, Anonymous, but as a black student at Ole Miss, I did feel threatened by this. And I assure you I am not the only one. People make drunken/high/stupid mistakes all the time and go to jail for it. That’s what happens and should happen when you break the law.
Kevin Curtis
May 5, 2016 at 1:15 am
Federal Prison? Hmmmm…what if the student was the son or daughter of an Oxford Judge, police officer, assistant DA or attorney? I am 100% CERTAIN that if that were the case, this case would have received NO media, no press and this post would not even be up and RUNNING.
I am K C and I approve this message