Racists 'torture' woman held captive for a week in West VirginiaLast updated at 11:37am on 12th September 2007
Six people have been charged with a horrific attack on a black woman who they held captive for a week. The six, who are all white and include a mother and son, were arrested for kidnapping 23-year-old Megan Williams and torturing her over seven days at a house in Charleston, West Virginia. During the attack, which has sent shockwaves across America, Ms Williams was sexually assaulted, beaten and stabbed. The gang also made her eat dog and rat feces and drink from a toilet while telling her: "That's what happens to n****** around here." She also had her hair pulled out and cut and was choked with a cable during the ordeal, which police described as 'something from a horror movie'.
Ms Williams was discovered at the house after police received an anonymous tip-off and was reported to have limped towards officers with arms outstretched pleading, 'help me'.
Waiving her right to anonymity, Ms Williams, who is now recovering in hospital, told reporters, "I am better".
Her mother Carmen Williams, who is at her bedside, added: "I don't understand a human being doing another human being the way they did my daughter."
Frankie Brewster, 49, who owns the home where the alleged attacks occurred, is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and giving false information during a felony investigation.
The other five, who remain in custody and include her son Bobby, 24, share a number of charges including kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and assault during the commission of a felony. They may also be charged under US race-hate laws.
PART 2...
Six people have been charged with a horrific attack on a black woman who they held captive for a week. The six, who are all white and include a mother and son, were arrested for kidnapping 23-year-old Megan Williams and torturing her over seven days at a house in Charleston, West Virginia. During the attack, which has sent shockwaves across America, Ms Williams was sexually assaulted, beaten and stabbed. The gang also made her eat dog and rat feces and drink from a toilet while telling her: "That's what happens to n****** around here." She also had her hair pulled out and cut and was choked with a cable during the ordeal, which police described as 'something from a horror movie'.
Ms Williams was discovered at the house after police received an anonymous tip-off and was reported to have limped towards officers with arms outstretched pleading, 'help me'.
Waiving her right to anonymity, Ms Williams, who is now recovering in hospital, told reporters, "I am better".Her mother Carmen Williams, who is at her bedside, added: "I don't understand a human being doing another human being the way they did my daughter."
Frankie Brewster, 49, who owns the home where the alleged attacks occurred, is charged with kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and giving false information during a felony investigation.
The other five, who remain in custody and include her son Bobby, 24, share a number of charges including kidnapping, sexual assault, malicious wounding and assault during the commission of a felony. They may also be charged under US race-hate laws.
PART 2...
Feds not filing hate-crime charges in torture, rape of black woman
The Justice Department is deferring to state prosecutors and not filing federal hate-crime charges against the six white West Virginia residents accused of the week-long kidnap, torture and rape of a 20-year-old black woman, the Associated Press and Charleston Gazette are reporting. (We noted this story yesterday.) "Because of the serious nature of the pending charges in Logan County, both in the factual allegations and in the potential penalties if the defendants are convicted ... we believe it is appropriate to defer to the Logan County prosecutor in pursuing the state charges against the defendants," U.S. Attorney Charles T. Miller said in a prepared statement.
"We're going to focus on the core aspect of the case that carry more enhanced penalties," Logan County District Attorney Brian Abraham told the AP.
The victim, whom USA TODAY is not naming even though the AP is, was tortured, sexually assaulted and forced to eat rat droppings at a remote hillside home in Big Creek (pop. 335). She remains hospitalized today in Charleston.
Abraham told AP that the victim was not a random target. She had a previous relationship with one suspect, Bobby Brewster, who was charged in July with domestic battery and assault after a domestic dispute involving her.
"She obviously had some sort of social relationship," Abraham said. "That is based on the fact that she was present at his residence on a prior date." The other suspects — including Brewster's mother — also have had problems with the law. Since 1991, police have filed 108 criminal charges against the six.
The Justice Department is deferring to state prosecutors and not filing federal hate-crime charges against the six white West Virginia residents accused of the week-long kidnap, torture and rape of a 20-year-old black woman, the Associated Press and Charleston Gazette are reporting. (We noted this story yesterday.) "Because of the serious nature of the pending charges in Logan County, both in the factual allegations and in the potential penalties if the defendants are convicted ... we believe it is appropriate to defer to the Logan County prosecutor in pursuing the state charges against the defendants," U.S. Attorney Charles T. Miller said in a prepared statement.
"We're going to focus on the core aspect of the case that carry more enhanced penalties," Logan County District Attorney Brian Abraham told the AP.
The victim, whom USA TODAY is not naming even though the AP is, was tortured, sexually assaulted and forced to eat rat droppings at a remote hillside home in Big Creek (pop. 335). She remains hospitalized today in Charleston.
Abraham told AP that the victim was not a random target. She had a previous relationship with one suspect, Bobby Brewster, who was charged in July with domestic battery and assault after a domestic dispute involving her.
"She obviously had some sort of social relationship," Abraham said. "That is based on the fact that she was present at his residence on a prior date." The other suspects — including Brewster's mother — also have had problems with the law. Since 1991, police have filed 108 criminal charges against the six.
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