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Daniel Paul Watkins, a senior political science major from Fredricksburg, found the noose on his chair Wednesday in the office he uses as head of Abilene Christian University's Student Congress. Date published: 9/9/2008
BY ELLEN BILTZ
A student at Abilene Christian University who grew up in Fredericksburg was recently a victim of what police at the school believe could be a hate crime. Daniel Paul Watkins, a senior at the school of just under 5,000 students, came into the Student Association Office last Wednesday to find a noose sitting on his desk, said Jimmy Ellison, chief of police for the ACU police department. Watkins, who serves as president of the organization, reported the find to police about 2 p.m. that day, Ellison said. So far, there are no suspects, but Ellison police are taking the incident very seriously. “We’re investigating it right now with the possibility that it could have been intended as a biased crime,” Ellison said. He said the university has never had any crime they’ve classified as a hate crime. “This incident is unfortunate, but very isolated,” he said. Ellison added that though rumors throughout the school have said otherwise, there was never a note or other form of threat left with the noose, and Watkins has not been the victim of any other threats since Sept. 3. The police chief said the investigation is expected to be difficult because the building where the student association’s office is located is in the Student Union, which is the most visited office on campus. He said the office is left unlocked for student use and the building is open to the public. For more information on the university’s response to the incident, read tomorrow’s Free Lance-Star.
the crime? Is bias a crime? Is making a statement of preference a crime?
How does a noose mean anything except a noose? Are they speculating about intent?
Freedom of expression? Speech? Is politically incorrect speech a crime? Come on ACLU do the right thing
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