Man pleads guilty in Mass. black church arson

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Man pleads guilty in Mass. black church arson
updated 26 minutes ago

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - One of three white men charged with burning down a predominantly black church hours after Barack Obama was elected president pleaded guilty to civil rights charges Wednesday in a plea deal that calls for him to spend nine years in prison.

Benjamin Haskell, 23, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to violate civil rights and damaging religious property because of race, color or ethnic characteristics. Sentencing was scheduled for Sept. 29.

The fire destroyed the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield in the early morning hours of Nov. 5, 2008, the day after Obama was elected the nation's first black president.

The church was under construction at the time, but almost complete. It had about 300 members, 90 percent of whom were black, according to federal authorities.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37732257/ns/us_news/

[Judi Lynn]

1. From an earlier article written June 12:

Change of plea hearing set for 1 accused in church arson
By Travis Andersen
Globe Staff / June 12, 2010

~snip~
According to a federal complaint, Haskell and Jacques told an unidentified witness that they burned down the Macedonia Church of God in Christ, located on Tinkham Road. Haskell told the witness that “we did it’’ because “it was a black church,’’ the complaint said.

The church, a new building under construction at the time of the fire, was destroyed except for a metal superstructure and a small portion of the front corner, according to the complaint.

Jacques told the witness that the men poured about 5 gallons of gasoline around the back corner of the building and that lighting the vinyl siding ensured that the structure “went up quickly,’’ the complaint said. He also told the witness that he thought Obama would be assassinated, according to the complaint.

Haskell’s attorney, Charles P. McGinty, did not immediately return messages seeking comment. A spokeswoman for US Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz declined to comment. Gleason’s attorney, Mark J. Albano, also declined comment.

But Jacques’s attorney, Levinson, said that her client maintains his innocence.

“Yes I know pleading guilty but my understanding is that he is testifying against the other two,’’ she said in an e-mail message.

“He’s just trying to minimize his exposure. My client absolutely maintains his innocence and believes Haskell is just too scared to go to trial.’’

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/06/12/change_of_plea_hearing_set_for_1_accused_in_church_arson/

http://media.masslive.com.nyud.net:8090/breakingnews/photo/bfhaskell2009jpg-af6b628307e30832_large.jpg

Benjamin F. Haskell
Benjamin Haskell facing nine years in prison after pleading guilty in 2008 arson fire at Macedonia Church of God in Christ
Published: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 10:37 AM Updated: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 2:21 PM

SPRINGFIELD - Benjamin Haskell, one of three men accused in a racially charged church arson in 2008, pleaded guilty to the crime in federal court this morning and left the courtroom immediately to begin serving nine years in prison.

Haskell, 23, Michael Jacques, 25, and Thomas Gleason, 22, were arrested in early 2009 for allegedly torching the Macedonia Church of God in Christ in the hours after President Barack Obama’s election in November 2008.

Under his plea agreement, Haskell conceded they set the partially built church on Tinkham Road ablaze to denounce the election of the nation's first black president. The church has a predominantly black congregation and was being built within blocks of the three men's homes.

More:
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/06/benjamin_haskell_sentenced_to.html

[orbitalman]

2. Sounds like KKK ASSHOLES to me. nt

[fascisthunter]

3. this sickens me

especially in Mass but yes, we have plenty of Mass-holes.

[Fearless]

4. +1