Oakland County's prosecutor sends a stern message to two Bloomfield Hills Middle School students that racial harassment of black classmate Phoenix Williams -- which included repeatedly calling him the n-word -- is no joking matter.
Prosecutor Jessica Cooper's office recommends that the boys be charged in juvenile court, one with ethnic intimidation, and another with harassment, Hank Winchester of WDIV reports.
A juvenile referee will address the issue. WDIV had reported earlier that the the mother of Phoenix had said that she thought one boy had been suspended by the school for two weeks, and another, for two days.
Lee and Shanari Williams, the victim's parents, issued a statement on Wednesday:
"We applaud Jessica Cooper and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office for taking the first steps toward showing a No Tolerance Policy for Hate Crimes in schools. While we are grateful that this is a move in the right direction in obtaining justice for Phoenix Williams, we are dedicated to continue the fight to ensure that all students are protected."
The NAACP is also demanding an investigation.
