Macedonia Baptist Church v. Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, et al.
"The Church Arson Trial"
Plaintiffs rest as former Klan member's testimony suggests cover-up by Grand Dragon
MANNING, SOUTH CAROLINA, July 22 (Court TV) -- The Macedonia Baptist Church rested
its case against the Ku Klux Klan as a one of the former Klansmen responsible for the church
burning testified that Grand Dragon Horace King encouraged a cover-up in the case.
Arthur Allen Haley, one of four members of the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan serving
federal prison terms for their role in the 1995 burning of Macedonia Baptist Church and other
Klan-related crimes, said that after the Macedonia Church was destroyed, King called him and
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Footage of a Klan rally. |
told to deny that he knew Timothy Welch and Christopher Cox, the two members who actually set
the church on fire. According to Haley, King said that he should "tear up" their Klan membership cards.
However, Haley also testified that he never heard King tell anyone to burn churches or kill
blacks. But he agreed that King said that the ``only good nigger was a dead nigger.''
The witness described Cox and Welch as ``arrogant'' young men who decided to burn the Mount
Zion Church (another church burned down shortly before the Macedonia Baptist Church) on a
lark. Haley denied he was involved in any meeting the night after the Mount Zion church
burning that Welch and Cox say was the planning session for the burning of the Macedonia church.
The Mount Zion was burned the morning of June 20, 1995. Haley said Cox showed him the ruins
of the church later that afternoon. Shocked by what he saw, Haley claimed he was scared to
call the police. He said he did not find out that Welch and Cox burned down Macedonia until
a day after the fire. Cox showed up at Haley's house the following Sunday night, and authorities
arrested him the next morning at the house after Haley called.
Haley may hold a grudge against Welch and Cox as well as King. Welch and Cox provided statements
that led to the indictment of Haley more than a year after their arrests. Haley pleaded guilty
to his role in the Macedonia church burning as well as conspiracy in the burning of a migrant
labor camp three months earlier and was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison. Now he claims
he was coerced into the plea because of his mental and medical problems. The sentencing judge
rejected Haley's attempt to withdraw his plea and his case is on appeal.
Virgil Griffin, imperial wizard of the Christian Knights, was grilled by plaintiff attorney
Richard Cohen on topics ranging from the organization's tax returns to the ancient literature
of the Klan. Griffin maintained he preaches non-violence and that his only belief is the
separation of the races. When asked whether the Klan's literature teaches that blacks are
"sub-humans" and "lust-crazed beasts in human form," Griffin said he did not know. He also
claimed that he did not know what "sub-human" meant. The Klan's imperial wizard likened his
organization's rhetoric to that of Louis Farakhan and Al Sharpton and said he agrees with them
when they say that a race war is coming.
Griffin tried to dismiss much of the literature cited by Cohen as ``old stuff.'' Cohen, however,
pointed out that even though the literature is old, Griffin's own organization based its bylaws
and organizational rules on those publications. Griffin grudgingly agreed with Cohen.
The plaintiffs closed their case with the heart-breaking testimony of the Rev. Jonathan Mouzon,
pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church. He told the court how the Macedonia Baptist church is
the heart of what is known as the Bloomville community. It helps those in need, serving as the
center for social functions and providing spiritual guidance. Then, in the most emotional moment,
the pastor recounted how he received a phone call in the early morning hours of June 21, 1995,
telling him his church was on fire. Tears streamed from Mouzon's eyes as he described the scene
driving to the church, the glow from the fire lighting up the sky. The church has been rebuilt since then for approximately $200,000.
The defense will begin its case Thursday.
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