No Charges Against Man Displaying KKK Flag: Wayne Co. Prosecutor

Grosse Pointe MI

02 March, 2021

10:44 AM

Description

GROSSE POINTE PARK, MI — The Wayne County prosecutor's office has denied a warrant request for charges against a Grosse Pointe Park man who displayed a Ku Klux Klan flag in his Wayburn home, the office announced Tuesday. Kym Worthy, Wayne County's prosecutor, said that the state statute regarding ethnic intimidation requires there be physical contact, damage, destruction, defacement of property or threats to warrant charges. A review of the evidence in the case determined that there was insufficient evidence to charge the man for ethnic intimidation or other charges, she said. "There is absolutely no question that what happened to Ms. Dinges was despicable, traumatizing, and completely unacceptable. But, very unfortunately in my view, not a crime," Worthy said. "The KKK flag, while intending to be visible to Ms. Dinges, was hanging inside of her neighbor's house. We could not even begin to charge Ethnic Intimidation under current Michigan law. "I strongly encourage the Michigan Legislature to look, revise, and create laws to protect citizens from this kind of horrible conduct." According to the prosecutor's office, JeDonna Dinges, 57, saw the flag displayed in her 31-year-old neighbor's window on Feb. 16. The flag, prosecutors said, was clearly visible to Dinges and her family from their dining room. Dinges installed a security camera facing her neighbor's house after she on Jan. 20 found a full can of gasoline inside her garbage container and "was concerned for the safety of herself and her family," prosecutors said. The flag was displayed across from the security camera, prosecutors said. The Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods NAACP Branch and We GP organized a rally on Feb. 20 to support Dinges, the Michigan Advance reported. Hundreds of people attended the rally, according to the Advance.