The U.S. Department of Justice announced an indictment today related to the desecration of the James Meredith statue last February.
Chancellor Dan Jones and Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Brandi Hephner LaBanc released the following statements in response to the announcement:
Dan Jones
Chancellor
It has taken time, but the process has worked, and I’m confident justice will be done. I am thankful for the strong, united response of our university community to the desecration of the James Meredith statue last year, confirming our university values of civility and respect. I extend my compliments to our university police department, local law enforcement, the Oxford office of the FBI, and Felicia Adams, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, and their colleagues, for their collaboration and diligence in pursuing this case.
Brandi Hephner LaBanc
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Our university police department under the leadership of Chief Calvin Sellers did an excellent job in the initial investigation, and I am thankful they sought assistance from the local FBI office and federal prosecutors. Their collaboration led to this arrest, and I am confident that the legal process will lead to the right result.
I can’t help but feel the pain of the student and the parents who will now feel the full weight of our justice system, but also feel the pain of our campus community and the entire Ole Miss family, which suffered greatly from the terrible act committed a year ago. We’re hopeful that this indictment will begin to bring closure and the next step in healing for our university.
