by TChris

Wes Owens, 19, decided to throw a "pasture party" on his parents' property in East Texas. Also attending were Colt Amox, 21, Cory Hicks, 24, and Dallas Stone, 18. They planned to smoke and drink and listen to music around a campfire. Along the way, they picked up Billy Ray Johnson, a middle-aged, mentally disabled black man, who was "a big hit at parties" because of his penchant for dancing.

What happened next is disputed, although Amox admits that he punched Johnson, who fell unconscious. Hicks had obvious reasons to fear being associated with a battery; he was a jailer for the Cass County Sheriff's Dept. Owens and Stone may have been afraid their underaged drinking would be revealed if they took Johnson to a hospital. According to the district attorney, all four took Johnson to a dump and dropped him onto an anthill. Hicks returned three hours later, then called the Sheriff to report that he'd found Johnson laying unconscious.

Johnson woke up three days later. Ants had ravaged his body. The four men have been charged with injuring a disabled person. Hicks and Amox go on trial June 28.

Whether this crime is race-related is unclear. The linked article presents both sides of a story that is both tragic and fascinating. It also provides background on some other incidents that may or may not be race-related in Linden's recent history.