NCJ Number
68486
Journal
Police Magazine Dated: (JULY 1980) Pages: 50-57
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES RECENT (1979) VIOLENT INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE KLU KLUX KLAN AND DISCUSSES THE QUESTION OF KLAN MEMBERSHIP FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND THE PRESENT ROLE OF THE FBI.
Abstract
THE SINGLE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN NOVEMBER 1979 IN GREENSBORO, N.C. KLANSMEN AND KLAN SYMPATHIZERS SHOT AND KILLED FIVE RADICAL ANTI-KLAN DEMONSTRATORS AND WOUNDED EIGHT OTHERS. OF EQUAL CONCERN TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WAS THE ARREST AND TRIAL INVOLVING A MENTALLY RETARDED BLACK MAN, TOMMY LEE HINES, IN THE NORTHERN ALABAMA CITY OF DECATUR. HINES WAS FOUND GUILTY IN STATE COURT BY AN ALL WHITE JURY AND WAS SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IN PRISON. IN 1979, THE SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE (SCLC) WHICH HAD PROTESTED THE TRIAL, HELD ANOTHER PROTEST MARCH IN DECATUR ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF HINES' ARREST AND THE KLAN HELD A COUNTERDEMONSTRATION. IN THE RESULTANT SCUFFLE, TWO WHITES AND TWO BLACKS WERE WOUNDED, AND TWO SHOTGUN BLASTS STRUCK THE CAR IN WHICH SCLC'S PRESIDENT WAS RIDING. HINES' SECOND TRIAL WAS POSTPONED AND HIS CONVICTION OVERTURNED BY AN ALABAMA APPELLATE COURT. THE QUESTION OF POLICE KLAN MEMBERSHIP AND POLICE TOLERANCE OF KLAN ANTIBLACK ACTIVITIES HAS ALSO BEEN RAISED. KLAN MEMBERSHIP IS NOT ILLEGAL NOR DOES IT APPEAR LEGAL TO DISMISS A POLICE OFFICER BASED SOLELY ON KLAN MEMBERSHIP. FURTHER, THERE IS NO KLAN MEMBERSHIP IN THE DECATUR AND GREENSBORO POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ACCORDING TO BOTH CHIEFS OF POLICE. IN CONTRAST TO PAST INVESTIGATORY ACTIVITIES, THE FBI HAS PLAYED A LIMITED ROLE IN GATHERING CLAN INFORMATION. IN ADDITION, DESPITE AN INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING THE GREENSBORO INCIDENT AND THE SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION OF 13 KLANSMEN ON A VARIETY OF CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS MARKEDLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF FIELD REPRESENTATIVES. REPETITION OF THE EVENTS IN DECATUR APPEARS LIKELY. A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF DAVID DUKE, THE KLU KLUX KLAN GRAND WIZARD, AND PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (AOP)