FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2007 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRT (202) 514-2007 TDD (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON Ricky Cotton of Taylor, Mich., was sentenced yesterday to 78 months in prison for conspiring to violate the civil rights of an African-American family in Taylor.
On July 28, 2002, Cotton and several associates conspired to burn the home of an African-American family because they did not want the family living in their neighborhood. Cottons co-conspirators eventually broke a window in the familys home, poured in a flammable substance, and lit the substance on fire.
The actions of the conspirators in this case were despicable and intolerable, said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. The Justice Department takes very seriously violent crimes bred of ignorance and hatred, and we will vigorously prosecute those who violate the civil rights of our fellow Americans. Wayland Mullins, one of Cottons co-conspirators, was convicted by a jury on Apr. 20, 2007, for conspiring to violate the familys civil rights; for violating the civil rights of the family; for using fire in the commission of a felony; and for conspiring to obstruct justice. Mullins is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 23, 2007.
Michael Richardson, another conspirator, pleaded guilty on Sept. 21, 2006, to participating in the conspiracy to burn the house; to violating the familys federally protected housing rights; to using fire in the commission of a felony; and to conspiring to obstruct justice. Richardson is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6, 2007.
The guilty plea resulted from an investigation by the Taylor Police Department and the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Hurley from the U.S. Attorneys Office, and Trial Attorney Michael Khoury from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice prosecuted the case. 07-293
Source: US Department of Justice
