Lack of Hate Crime Leaves Victims Puzzled
By Floyd Alvin Galloway, Special to the NNPA from the Arizona Informant –
“It’s a mixed bag,” said Don Logan following the verdict in the 2004 mail bombing of his office, which injured him and two co-workers. Logan was bewildered by the jurors decision that the attack wasn’t a hate crime. “I can’t understand why they chose not to include race as a factor in the case. This was a hallmark case as a hate crime.”
Logan said he would move on. The emotionally and physically exhausting ordeal’s end was a relieve to Logan and his family. This has not deterred him in his work of promoting diversity and tolerance. “This proofs there is much work still needed in this state and country. You would think in 2012 we would have moved passed issues like this because of a person’s race. To attack a person simply because they are a different color is proof there is still a problem in this country,” said Logan following the verdict.
“I appreciate the guilty verdict for Dennis Mahon but I’m disappointed with the jury’s position that there wasn’t enough evidence to treat this attack as a hate crime,” a puzzled Logan noted.
Logan, 56, African American, was Scottsdale’s former diversity and dialogue director and his secretary were injured in the blast. Logan suffered hand and arm injuries when he opened the package in his office. The way he opened the package is credited with saving his life and the life of others.
After several years of delays in the case, an all white jury heard testimony in the trial that lasted six weeks. Judge Donald Campbell removed one juror for violating his instructions of not talking about the case during the trial.
The twin brothers were arrested in 2009 on their parent’s farm just outside of Rockford, Ill., on suspicion of conspiracy to damage buildings and property by means of explosives. Daniel was found not guilty of the charge.
As Daniel celebrated with his attorneys as his verdict was read, his brother looked solemnly and sternly at the jurors following his verdict. The two brothers hugged as they were escorted from the room by marshals.
Dennis also received additional charges of malicious damage of a building by means of explosive and distribution of information related to explosives. The Mahons are suspected members of W.A.R., White Aryan Resistance, an organization headed by white supremacist Tom Metzger.
“I believe in justice so much,.. it will be ok,” said Logan’s mother, to her son to comfort him. Surrounded by his wife, mother, friends and former co-workers, Logan noticeablelly upset by part of the jury’s decision stated, “this was a textbook case for a hate crime.”
Logan was appreciative of the job done by the U.S. attorneys prosecuting the case. “I should be hugging you for the great job you did,” Logan told Assistant U.S. Attorney John Boyle
Boyle was also surprised by the jury’s conclusion that the attack was not a hate crime, he was congratulatory of the jury’s dedication. “I’m appreciative to the jury and the six weeks they devoted to hear the case and the three days they spent deliberating on the verdict.”
Asked why he felt the jury didn’t see race as a factor in the attack, Boyle had no comment.
Bill Straus, regional director of the Arizona Anti-Defamation League and a friend of Logan, was also shocked the jury didn’t convict Daniel and race was not a factor. “It’s hard to believe they didn’t factor race in their decision,” said Straus.
Dennis Mahon is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22. He faces up to 100 years in jail and fines of up to $500,000.
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