Student's harassment charge investigated as hate crime

Three hate crimes were reported at MU during 2007.

By Lyndsie Manusos

Published May 4, 2009

A harassment charge filed April 28 by senior Terence Williams will be investigated has a hate crime.

Williams was returning from doing homework in the basement of Hatch Hall to find the N-word and what is believed to be a reference to the Ku Klux Klan written on his display board.

Williams said he was shocked initially.

"After that, I drove around to try to calm down," he said. "I was going to let it pass, but it was too important to not let it pass."

After speaking with his parents, Williams filed a report with the MU Police Department. MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer said this crime will not be treated any differently than any other.

"We do it like we do with all crimes," Weimer said. "We try to determine who did it from the evidence and statements. We put all that together so we can make an arrest for the appropriate charge."

Williams said when he filed the report, it was about more than just identifying the person who wrote the racial slurs.

"I want to make sure it was documented in some place that this happened so that other parents and students may come and ask questions about these things," he said.

Weimer said hate crime reports happen rarely.

"We've had hate crimes reported in the past but it's not something that's common," he said.

According to a 2007 hate crime statistics report gathered by the FBI, 12.1 percent of racially motivated hate crimes happened in schools or colleges. There were three reported race hate crimes at MU during 2007. Statistics from 2008 have not yet been posted.

Williams said his hall coordinator contacted him, and that the Residential Life Department offered its services.

"She offered any help that she could do," he said.

In spite of the event, Williams said his attitude toward those living on his floor has not changed. But he said he thinks this event proves that derogatory actions and hate crimes still exist.

"For some students, it may confirm what they already knew of race relations on campus," he said. "These things still do exist even in the wake of electing a black president."