Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen at Press Conference Regarding Guilty Pleas in Mississippi

As the sole investigative force responsible for addressing criminal violations of federal civil rights statutes, the FBI takes very seriously its responsibility to uphold the civil rights of all Americans. Investigating hate crimes is the number one priority of our civil rights program. As many of you know, a hate crime is not a distinct federal offense; however, the FBI can and does investigate crimes which are motivated, in whole or in part, by bias against someone’s race, religion, disability, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.‪

Hate itself is not a crime, and the FBI is mindful of protecting freedom of speech and other civil liberties.

The FBI’s investigation into the murder of James Craig Anderson was not simply an effort to identify who was responsible, but also the why. It was incumbent upon the FBI to uncover and prove the motivation behind the crime, the why. The answer we discovered, put simply, was that James Craig Anderson was killed because of the color of his skin.

Answering this question was not an easy task. In a coordinated effort, the FBI worked with the District Attorney’s Office, the Jackson Police Department, the United States Attorney’s Office, and Department of Justice prosecutors. The special agents responsible for this investigation conducted over 200 interviews. The FBI Laboratory at Quantico, Virginia performed forensic analysis, which proved to be of great investigative value. I cannot overstate the sheer tenacity with which this investigation was carried out, and I applaud the commitment and dedication demonstrated by everyone involved in this investigation. It was because of their efforts that we have reached this point today—Deryl Dedmon, John Aaron Rice, and Dylan Butler have acknowledged and pleaded guilty for their actions which, on June 26, 2011, led to the death of James Craig Anderson.

Hate crimes have a devastating impact on families and communities. Every sector of our community has a role to play in helping to ensure that no person is targeted for violence because of who they are or what they believe. Thank you.