WEST MONROE, La. (AP) – A white Louisiana teen accused of putting a noose around a black student’s neck is facing hate crime charges.
The victim’s mother told The Monroe Free Press that a student approached her 16-year-old son at West Ouachita High School and hung the rope around his neck on Sept. 14.
When a teacher asked the student why he did it, he reportedly said he wanted to see how many black boys’ necks he could put the noose around and get photos.
Don Coker, superintendent of Ouachita Parish Schools, said the student was disciplined, but student privacy laws forbid him to release details.
Deputy Glenn Springfield, a spokesman for the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, said a juvenile student at the school was arrested on hate crime and battery charges. Springfield said he could not provide other details because both students are juveniles and the case is now with the district attorney’s office.
“We don’t tolerate any of this. We will never tolerate any of this,” Coker said. He added, “This was during homecoming week. I don’t know if he was trying to make a practical joke or it was truly a hate crime. I know it was handled extremely quickly and very well by our school.”
District Attorney Robert S. Tew was out of his office Friday and unavailable for comment.
