Lexington Police tell LEX 18 that they have charged a 17-year-old male today as part of their investigation into claims of racially charged harassment at Lexington Catholic High School.
The teen has been charged with harassing communications and terroristic threatening. The case has been referred to the County Attorney’s office.
An article was being circulated on social media on a website called Key Newsjournal saying that an African-American student and member of the school’s football team had been threatened by classmates with lynching and taunted with other racial slurs via his computer’s instant messaging system.
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A statement from Lexington Police read, “Police are investigating a criminal complaint filed by the mother of a Lexington Catholic High School student. Several of you have asked if this is a ‘hate crime.’ Technically, Police do not have the authority/jurisdiction to classify an act as a ‘hate crime.’ That is up to the court to determine if an act is bias motivated.”
LEX 18 reached out to the mother of the alleged victim and the school system. Neither has agreed to talk on camera at this time.
The Diocese of Lexington released a statement on behalf of Bishop John Stowe, O.F.M., regarding the incident saying, “The Roman Catholic Church considers racism a sin and a violation of human dignity. The Diocese of Lexington will not tolerate racism in any of its institutions or ministries and will work to root out remnants of racist attitudes and thinking wherever it is encountered. The Diocese is pursuing additional information, as the administration of Lexington Catholic High School addresses the situation.”
Lexington Catholic High School has released an official statement regarding the investigation and allegations. President Dr. Steve Angelucci and Principal Sally Stevens say, “Last night an article appeared in social media about a hate crime occurring between two Lexington Catholic students. We met with all of our students today to discuss the dangers of offensive language and social media. We continue to thoroughly investigate the entire situation. The incident in no way reflects the culture or environment which Lexington Catholic High School promotes. We ask for your prayers for all the parties involved and for the entire Lexington Catholic school community.”
A spokesperson for Lexington Police had previously issued a statement saying, “The investigation involving communications between two juveniles is ongoing. The Lexington Police Department has spoken with leadership from the local chapter of the NAACP and the parties involved.”
The mother of the victim, Denisha Vinegar, released a statement Thursday evening via her attorney saying, “The Vinegar Family is appreciative of the thoughts and prayers that have flowed forth following the recent reports of the racist threats to lynch a minor in our family who had attended Lexington Catholic High School until this week. We are saddened and disheartened that a faith-based school where our time and treasure had been entrusted has turned on us to the point of withholding a transcript, demanding more money, and accommodating a bully – apparently in retaliation against us for reporting what is being investigated as a hate crime. It is a sad day when a 17-year-old, amid Confederate flags and other taunts, threatens to lynch a 14-year-old football teammate after days of other racial harassment, while professing in text messaging that he will noose him with a chain rather than a rope because he is black. Facing intransigence from exponents of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington, we have retained a federal civil-rights attorney based in Washington, D.C., who is representing us for full, federalized recourse. In this time of extreme duress, we thank the community for respecting our privacy as we look to the Lord for ultimate guidance.”
