NAACP Wants Felonies For Students Charged In Teacher Murder Plot

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UPDATE (12-18-18): Kimberley Lee - the teacher who was the subject of the murder plot - spoke to reporters during the press conference, saying that she hasn't gone back to the classroom since the incident and is afraid to do so.
NAACP Flagler County Branch President Linda Sharpe Matthews says she's convinced that FCSO would have arrested those kids and charged them with felonies had they been African-American.
Earlier reporting below. Bunnell, FL - A civil rights group wants felony charges brought against two white Flagler County high school students who talked online about murdering an African-American teacher. The county chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples plans to hold a press conference around lunchtime today (December 18th) on the steps of the Flagler County Courthouse demanding that Florida 7th Circuit State Attorney R.J. Larizza upgrade the misdemeanors filed by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office in last week's incident at Flagler Palm Coast High School. FCSO Investigative Services Chief Steve Brandt says there's no legal basis to charge those 16-year-olds with felonies, but they have recommended an enhanced hate crime penalty for both those students. "The Sheriff and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office have no intent to do anything other than to conduct a full and appropriate investigation, where race plays no role," Brandt added. "It is unfortunate that a community organization chose to intervene during an active investigation and start throwing unsupported and false allegations. To make sure everyone’s rights are not being violated and to ensure that all aspects of the case are accounted for, we cannot and will not be rushed to conclude this investigation. This investigation will be based on evidence, not opinion and rhetoric." The charges were filed after detectives consulted with the teacher and she asked to press charges because she feared at least one of the students would harm her. When questioned by school resource deputies, both students claimed their messages to one another were inappropriate jokes. Both have been barred from the school while Larizza's office and Flagler County Schools decide how to handle the matter.
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