Mississippi Sentenced to 42 Months In Prison For Burning Cross to Scare Black Family

A Gulfport, Mississippi, man has been sentenced to 42 months in prison, three years post-release supervision, and ordered to pay $7,810 in fines after burning a cross in his front yard in an attempt to intimidate a Black family.

According to The Associated Press, Axel Cox violated the Fair Housing Act after he threatened Black neighbors, as well as using racially abusive language toward the Black family before burning a cross.

After a dispute with the Black family, according to the Associated Press, Cox built a cross by wedging pieces of wood, placed it in his yard–in full view of the Black family’s home so they could see—and set it on fire while yelling racial language at the family.

Cox admitted his wrongdoing and acknowledged that he burned the cross because he wanted to scare the Black family.

“Mr. Axel Cox sought to intimidate members of the community through his intimidating threats,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the FBI Jackson Field Office, said. “The FBI prioritizes the protection of civil rights to ensure citizens remain safe without fear of any harm. We remain committed to tirelessly thwarting the nefarious actions of those, like Mr. Cox, who intended to impact fear upon citizens based on biases.”

“No one should endure such hatred and intimidation because of the color of his skin,” U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi, said. “This defendant has been held accountable. His sentence should permeate among his kind and declare that Mississippi and the Department of Justice will not tolerate this hateful behavior.”

“This cross burning was an abhorrent act that used a traditional symbol of hatred and violence to stoke fear and drive a Black family out of their home,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, told the AP.