Hate crime suspects set for trial in Farmington

Thursday, January 4, 2007  

Three white males accused of beating a Navajo man are scheduled to go to trial for a crime that heightened racial tensions in the border town of Farmington, New Mexico.

C.L. Carnie, 21, Freddie Brooks, 21, and John Winer, 18, could face a joint hate crimes trial for the June 4 beating of William Blackie, 46. But their attorneys probably won't agree to a single trial.

A few days after the beating, Farmington police officers shot and killed a Navajo man. The incidents led the Navajo Nation Council to commission a study on racism in border towns. Tribal members also held a series of marches to call attention to the issue.

Get the Story:
Judge considers joint trial for hate crime suspects in Blackie beating (The Farmington Daily Times 1/4)

Relevant Links:
Navajo Nation - http://www.navajo.org
Navajo Nation Council - http://www.navajonationcouncil.org

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