Family sues over alleged hate crime in Mississippi

By Holbrook Mohr
Associated Press

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — The family of a black man who authorities say was run over by a white teenager in a truck is suing over the alleged hate crime.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday in Mississippi accuses seven white teenagers of setting out on June 26 in search of a black man to harass.

A defendant in the lawsuit, Deryl Dedmon, is charged with capital murder and robbery in the death of 49-year-old James Craig Anderson.

Authorities say Dedmon intentionally ran over Anderson with a pickup truck in Jackson on June 26.

Dedmon was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Tuesday on the criminal charges.

Another defendant in the lawsuit, John Aaron Rice, is charged with assault.

Their attorneys say they were not involved in a racially-motivated attack.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.

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