Criminal Law
Mississippi Man Charged with Hate Crime for Allegedly Burning Cross
A Mississippi man has been charged with a federal hate crime and arson violations after he burned a cross in his front yard in order to threaten and intimidate a Black family, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
Axel C. Cox, 23, is charged with one count of criminal interference with the right to fair housing and one count of using fire to commit a federal felony in connection with the alleged cross burning.
According to court documents obtained by NPR, Cox burned a cross in his front yard on Dec. 3, 2020, and used “threatening and racially derogatory remarks” toward his Black neighbors.
