Group of Teen Accused of Hate Crime
BALDWIN: Brutal crime prosecutors say was racially motivated. And this is not something that happened in Mississippi's troubled past. No, this happened just a couple of months ago. A 49-year-old black auto worker was repeatedly beaten and mowed down by a group of teenagers. The horrifying attack and killing was all caught on a security camera at a nearby hotel. Our Drew Griffin with CNN's Special Investigations Unit looks into what the district attorney is calling a hate crime. But a quick word of caution -- some of the video you're about to see is tough to look at.</s>DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: He is just 18 years old facing a possible double life sentence for the senseless murder of a man he never now. Deryl Dedmon is thin, short, with straggly blonde hair, accused of leading a group of white teenage revelers on a mission to find and beat up anyone who is black. (on camera): They discussed, let's go get -- let's be honest here, "let's go get a nigger," right?</s>ROBERT SHULER SMITH, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: That's exactly what it will show.</s>GRIFFIN: District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith says the evidence and witness accounts tell a story of a crime that would seem to come right out of Mississippi's troubled past. On June 26th, a group of white teens, seven in all, leaving an all-night party in the white, middle class enclave of Rankin county, Mississippi in search of a black person to, quote, "mess with." (on camera) Out of hate?</s>SMITH: Out of hate. That's exactly --</s>GRIFFIN: No doubt in your mind, this was a racially motivated, hate-motivated, let's go kill a black guy crime?</s>SMITH: Absolutely. There's no doubt. They were looking for a black victim to assault and even kill in this instance.</s>GRIFFIN (voice-over): They drove 16 miles on a freeway heading west. At 5:00 a.m. that Sunday morning, the teens in two vehicles took the Ellis Avenue off ramp leading to a predominantly black section of Jackson. Just as they were exiting, an unsuspecting 49- year-old auto worker named James Craig Anderson was standing by his car at this local motel, and he was black. (on camera) So literally, they found the first black person they could find and that person was in this parking lot?</s>SMITH: Yes. This is the first business that you get to coming off of the highway. And so that was the first person that apparently was out here and vulnerable.</s>GRIFFIN (voice-over): According to witness statements, at first James Craig Anderson was beaten and taunted with racial slurs. Surveillance video shows white teens going back and forth in what prosecutors say was a continuous beating of the victim. As one of the teens walks back to the cars after beating Anderson, he pumps his fist in the air and shouts "white power," according to a motel security guard. Then some of the teens got in the white SUV and drove away, leaving Anderson beaten and lying on the ground. (on camera) Deryl Dedmon apparently wasn't through. He had two girls in his truck as he was leaving this parking lot, a big F-250 pickup truck. James Craig Anderson, the man who was beaten almost to a pulp was stumbling down this curb. That's when police say Deryl Dedmon hit the gas, jumped the curb, and ran right over his victim, smashing him. What he didn't know was the entire episode was being caught on a surveillance camera on the corner of this hotel. (voice-over) This is what was caught on that tape obtained exclusively by CNN. We warn you, it is disturbing, a video capturing what prosecutor Robert Shuler smith says is pure racial hatred and murder.</s>BALDWIN: Drew Griffin, let's pick up where the piece left off. We have the video because you got it exclusively from this motel. And walk us through what we see next.</s>GRIFFIN: What prosecutors say this video shows is Deryl Dedmon in that large pickup truck. He pulls out like he's going out on to the street, then slightly backs up, takes a turn and then hits the gas right into his victim, who as you can see, walking on the side of the screen there and runs him over.</s>BALDWIN: Right there.</s>GRIFFIN: At that moment the victim was heading towards death. He died right there on the side of that curb. This was a deliberate attack according to the other witnesses. Remember, Brooke, two females, two teenagers in the front seat with the teenager, who told police this is what happened.</s>BALDWIN: Also looking in that video, it's a parking lot full of cars. You mentioned the motel security guard reportedly hearing or seeing one of the teens with his fist raised. Why didn't that security guard run over there, do anything?</s>GRIFFIN: These are question the investigation is looking into. And I'm breaking some other news. This group of teenagers is now being investigated for other similar type crimes in this area, and there could be more charges coming.</s>BALDWIN: The two teens so far charged?</s>GRIFFIN: That's right.</s>BALDWIN: Possibly more charges coming. Where are they now?</s>GRIFFIN: The one teen is in -- Deryl Dedmon, this man right here is being held. He's awaiting his indictment that is expected to come. The other man has been released. He was not there at the moment that Deryl Dedmon drove him over. But he was alleged to have participated in the beating. He is free on bond and awaiting the preliminary hearing.</s>BALDWIN: How does the defense make the case that this was not a racial hate crime?</s>GRIFFIN: The defense for both of these kids have not answered any of our questions, have not returned any of our phone calls. We just have one statement when one attorney who said that, in court, I don't see where the prosecution can call this a racial crime. Obviously, the testimony of the witnesses who were there all point to the fact that this started out as an attempt to go out and find a black guy to beat up and mess with. That was their words.</s>BALDWIN: Let us know what happens to those teens. Drew Griffin, thank you.</s>GRIFFIN: Just a couple of minutes here left before the closing bell. What are we, 12 minutes away? The Dow is up 103 points right now. But you ever wonder what is happening in these final moments on the trading floor? Take a look at this.</s>POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: You're hearing a lot of traders now yelling buy everything, buy everything. We've got five minutes left in the trading day.</s>BALDWIN: There she goes. Poppy Harlow behind the scenes of the frenetic and frantic final moments of trading. Back in a minute.