Suspect to plead guilty in black church arson case tied to Obama

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (RNS) Benjamin F. Haskell, one of the three white men who allegedly burned down a predominantly black church because they were angry with President Obama’s election, is scheduled to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Springfield on Wednesday (June 16). The change of plea hearing for Haskell, 23, is on the docket […]

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (RNS) Benjamin F. Haskell, one of the three white men who allegedly burned down a predominantly black church because they were angry with President Obama’s election, is scheduled to plead guilty in U.S. District Court in Springfield on Wednesday (June 16).

The change of plea hearing for Haskell, 23, is on the docket for the court at 9 a.m. that day.

Previously, Haskell pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges in a civil rights violation.


Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Regan said he could not comment what offense Haskell will plead guilty to or what the plea agreement, if any, is.

Haskell was one of three men charged in connection with the fire that destroyed the new Macedonia Church of God in Christ in Springfield in the early morning hours of Nov. 5, 2008, just hours after the presidential election.

The church was under construction at the time, but almost complete. It had about 300 members, 90 percent of whom were black, according to federal authorities.

Thomas A. Gleason Jr., 22, and Michael F. Jacques, 25, have pleaded not guilty to charges of violating civil rights, damaging religious property because of race, color or ethnic characteristics, and using fire to commit a felony.

Haskell faces the lesser civil rights violation and had appeared to be positioning himself for a plea deal, because he was excused from hearings last month on motions to suppress statements brought by lawyers for his two co-defendants.

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