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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Woman Burned by KKK is Hoax-- All Indications are that She Set Herself on Fire



A black woman was seriously burned on Sunday in Winsboro, Louisiana. "KKK" and a racial slur were scrawled across the hood of her car in toothpaste.

When I first heard about the attack, I was immediately alarmed at the incident. A group of presumably (although the woman never said what the race of her attackers were) white men attack and severely maim a young black woman. But, I did find the incident unusual, as I am passably familiar with that area of the country (I have relatives living there-- black relatives actually-- with whom I visit yearly), and never felt that there was an overly large nor dramatically violent white supremacist movement in the area. It certainly is not a place seething with racial hatred.

Well, turns out the woman apparently set herself on fire.

From The Franklin Sun article by Matt Reynolds and Katie Norwood:

"Two days after multiple law enforcement agencies began an investigation into the attack and burning of a Winnsboro woman at Civitan Park, authorities now believe the wounds were self-inflicted.

"According to Winnsboro Police Chief Lester Thomas, evidenced gathered at the scene of the incident shows 20-year-old Sharmeka Moffitt's initial claims that she was attacked and set on fire turned out to be false claims made up by Moffitt.

"'This is a case in which the investigators had to pursue the facts that were presented,' Thomas said. 'It's been a very disturbing case for everyone involved.'

"On Sunday, officers responded to a 911 call around 8 p.m. near the walking trail at Civitan Park to find Moffitt with burns covering her body. It was less than a minute from the time the call from Moffitt came into the 911 center that officers from the Winnsboro Police Department and the Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office were on the scene at the park located on Hwy. 15.

"Moffitt could not identify the race of her attackers, but said three men wearing 'T-shirt hoodies' doused her in a flammable liquid and set her on fire at the park. The responding officers found no suspects or vehicles at the park where the attack allegedly occurred.

"Moffitt was taken to Franklin Medical Center in Winnsboro and then transported to LSU Medical Center in Shreveport, where it was determined she had burns on over 60 percent of her body.

"State Police arrived by helicopter with its crime lab team to gather evidence shortly after Moffitt was taken for medical assistance. Law enforcement officials gathered evidence from the scene all night, finishing its scaling of the crime scene by Monday morning.

"After analyzing the evidence at the State Police Crime Lab, it was discovered Moffitt's fingerprints were on the cigarette lighter and the lighter fluid recovered near the wooded area around the crime scene.

"'There is more physical evidence along those lines that back this up,' Thomas said.

"At a news conference held at LSU Medical Center on Monday evening, Moffitt's mother, Edna Moffitt said her daughter was in critical condition with third-degree burns on her arms and other areas and would undergo surgery Tuesday.

"False rumors regarding the incident were spread on various social media outlets Sunday night just hours after the incident took place. On many of the Twitter and Facebook posts, users speculated the attack was a hate crime and Moffitt was attacked for wearing a President Obama t-shirt when she was 'raped and burned alive'.

"Moffitt's mother and Thomas confirmed Monday that the Obama T-shirt rumor was false and there was no evidence of sexual assault.

"A racial slur and the letters, KKK, that were written in toothpaste on Moffitt's vehicle were linked to female DNA, authorities said.

"'All of the evidence is pointing back to the victim inflicting this upon herself,' Thomas said. 'No evidence has shown any other person was involved.'

"Thomas said that no matter the outcome of these types of tragic events, it's always a heavy burden on law enforcement and the victim's family.

"'My heart truly goes out to the Moffitt family, who are more than just members of our community, they are my friends,' Thomas said. 'I hope we can come together as a community and pray for their wellbeing and a quick recovery of Sharmeka.'"

File this one under "What the Hell?!" right next to that woman in Vancouver Wa who threw acid in her face and claimed a black woman did it.

Absolutely bizarre behavior.

Of course the usual suspects jumped all over the story as proof of the seething South. This example is one of my personal favorites:

"The South appears to be on the rise again. Didn’t some of you think the Ku Klux Klan had decided to call it quits? Well nothing could be further from the truth. It appears that Hate never sleeps, nor dies.

"Sharmeka Moffitt, 20, was in Civitan Park in Winnsboro, Louisiana, when three men approached her in white hoodies and doused her with a flammable liquid then set her on fire, according to CBS.  They also took some creamy like substance and wrote 'KKK' on her vehicle.

"Moffitt suffered third degree burns on more than half of her body Sunday night when she was attacked. Civitan Park does not have video surveillance, so the leads on the crime are slim. At the time of the report, no one has been caught and/or arrested for the vicious crime.

"Franklin Sheriff Kevin Cobb said:
“This is a horrific event that will not be taken lightly. Winnsboro Police, Franklin Parish Sheriff, Louisiana State Police, The state fire Marshall’s office and the FBI are investigating.”
"This is the type of crime that the South is quite familiar with and this area especially. According to the local NAACP branch President, Otis Chisley, the president of the local branch of the NAACP, Moffitt’s family is 'distraught', but they are awaiting more facts before drawing any conclusion. Chisley was quoted saying
“everyone wants to move with caution.”
"He also said, 'racism and KKK activity remain a fact of life in the state [emphasis mine].'"

Apparently the author believes that the South rising again is completely dependent on racial violence.

I just love that "This is the type of crime that South is quite familiar with" et al.

How about offering up a few examples of how this happens all the time there, sir? I guess that it's such a common occurence that when it does happen as a hoax it's national news.

Of course the Left was quick to blame Romney, the Tea Party, and the Right in general. I don't expect any apologies will be forthcoming.

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