NEW : The defendants admitted to previous assaults in the Jackson area , prosecutors say . Three men plead guilty to federal hate crimes in the case . Rice , 19 , and Butler , 20 , made their initial appearances with Dedmon in federal court Thursday morning . One of the men pleaded guilty to a state murder charge also . They are the first charged with a murder under a new federal hate - crime law .
NEW : The defendants admitted to previous assaults in the Jackson area , prosecutors say . Three men plead guilty to federal hate crimes in the case . One of the men pleaded guilty to a state murder charge also . They are the first charged with a murder under a new federal hate - crime law .