New York convicts white supremacist on terrorism charges for the first time

The New York Supreme Court convicted a white supremacist of terrorism charges on Wednesday, the first time the state has ever done so.

White supremacist James Jackson plead guilty to Murder in the First Degree in Furtherance of an Act of Terrorism, Murder in the Second Degree as a Crime of Terrorism, Murder in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree. Jackson said that he murdered the victim, Timothy Caughman, because Caughman was black, and Jackson “wanted to provoke a race war.” Caughman was murdered in 2017.

Jackson will likely receive the maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the district attorney’s office. His sentencing date is next month.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. said, “White nationalism will not be normalized in New York.” He went on to say that the terrorism convictions were “the loudest message that a civil society can send to would-be terrorists.”

Source: Jurist