FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 2004 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRT (202) 514-2008 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Department of Justice today announced that a Missouri man, who served as leader of a local skinhead group known as the Midland Hammerskins, pleaded guilty to attacking two African-American men at a Springfield, Missouri restaurant.
Michael Shane McCormick pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights conspiracy charge for his role in attacking two African-American men at a Dennys restaurant in Springfield, Missouri in June of 2001. The defendant, indicted in the Western District of Missouri in February 2004, admitted that he and four of his associates beat, kicked and stabbed one of the victims, Maurice Wilson.
According to the plea, also filed in the Western District of Missouri, the defendant attacked Mr. Wilson because he was an African-American who was talking back to his skinhead friends inside the restaurant. The four co-defendants in the attack against Mr. Wilson were charged in January of 2004 with violating the civil rights of the victim and are awaiting trial.
McCormick has also agreed to plead guilty to the state racially-motivated assault charge brought by Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Darrell Moore. The defendants federal guilty plea carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Those who embrace hate and perpetrate violence against their fellow citizens will be punished, said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, R. Alexander Acosta. These deplorable crimes challenge fundamental values of the nation and must end. Today's plea is a reminder that the Justice Department will respond aggressively to bias-motivated crimes. Let the message be loud and clear that we will aggressively use the tools at our disposal to hold accountable those who intimidate, threaten or harm others based on the color of their skin, said Todd P. Graves, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Springfield Police Department jointly investigated the matter. The Criminal Section of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorneys Office jointly prosecuted the case.
Prosecuting the perpetrators of bias-motivated crimes remains a top priority of the Justice Department. Since 2001, the Civil Rights Division has charged 109 defendants in 68 cases of bias-motivated crime. 04-221
Source: US Department of Justice
