Prosecutor calling it a “hate crime”
JACKSON – For many, the circumstances surrounding the deliberate hit and run death of 49-year old James Craig Anderson, grow stranger still as a judge sets a surprisingly low bond for a second teen tied to his murder. Bond for 18-year old John Aaron Rice was set at $5,000 Monday morning in a Hinds County court and the charges against him reduced to simple assault.
Rice, a white teen, was implicated in the June 26 murder of Anderson, a black man, after Jackson police said surveillance video showed Rice physically punching Anderson at the Metro Inn near Ellis Avenue.
Anderson reportedly left the scene on foot after a physical and verbal altercation with Rice and 18-year Deryl Paul Dedmon, another white teen, at the motel. Police said Anderson started walking southbound on the shoulder of I-220 near the Airport Road exit when Dedmon followed him in his truck and allegedly ran him over.
Witnesses to the crime gave police a description of Dedmon’s truck and he was pulled over near the Airport Road exit shortly thereafter and arrested.
Dedmon was charged with murder and initially was being held on a $50,000 bond until allegations were made that Dedmon and Rice “rejoiced” over Anderson’s murder.
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said in court that Dedmon reportedly called a friend after the murder and using a racial slur said, “I just ran that n—-r over.”
“Dedmon murdered this victim because he was a black man,” Smith was quoted as saying. “We do have information that they were rejoicing after killing the victim.”
Judge Ali Shamsiddeen then increased Dedmon’s bail from $50,000 to $800,000.
Rice, who was arrested about three days after Dedmon, was also charged with murder and he was initially held without bond.
Monday afternoon, The Clarion-Ledger reported that Jackson Police Detective Eric Smith testified in court on July 18 that prior to the murder, Dedmon had indicated at a party in Rankin County that he was coming to Jackson to “just mess with somebody.”
Both teens are from Rankin County.
Rice’s attorneys contend that Rice and Dedmon were in two separate vehicles and that Rice was not on the scene when Anderson was murdered.
Authorities said Rice should face stiffer charges because his actions led to Anderson’s murder, and Hinds County prosecutor Robert Shuler Smith said his office plans to present the case against both teens as murder, to a grand jury.
Dedmon’s attorney, Lee Agnew, reportedly said during court that he’s seen nothing to back up the “racial allegations.”
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