Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Couple Because of Their Race

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced today that Glenn E. Morgan Jr., of Detroit, pleaded guilty in federal court to sending a noose and threatening photographs through the mail to a Detroit couple because of their race.

Morgan, 40, admitted in court that in November 2008, he mailed a noose, photographs of black men being lynched, and a photograph of the murdered body of Nicole Brown Simpson to the couple because of their race. The envelope Morgan sent to the couple also contained threatening written messages indicating that black men who marry white women should be lynched and that white women who marry black men would share Nicole Brown Simpson’s fate.

“It is inconceivable that acts of hate like this one continue to occur in the year 2011,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The department will vigorously prosecute individuals who threaten or intimidate others because of the color of their skin.”

“Threats and intimidation based on race have no place in our multi-cultural society,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara L. McQuade said. “We are committed to protecting the rights and safety of all of our citizens.”

Andrew Arena, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Detroit, said, “Actions motivated by hate will not be tolerated. The FBI, along with its local, state, and federal law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and prosecute those who engage in hate crimes.”

Morgan faces a maximum punishment of 10 years of in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pamela Thompson from the Eastern District of Michigan, and Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.