Ten Years Without Parole for Burning Cross

Source: The Washington Times, April 12, 2000, Page C2

Man Given 10 years for Burning Cross

A man involved in a 1997 cross burning at Bowie [Maryland High] School was sentenced to 10 years in prison without parole yesterday.

“This sentence sends out a clear message: There is no place for hate crime in the 21^st century,” said Lynne A. Battaglia, U.S. attorney for Maryland.

Brian Swetnam, 22, had pleaded guilty to federal hate-crime conspiracy charges.

Federal prosecutors said Swetnam and three other men were angry about an assault on a white student at the school. They discussed ways to threaten black students, including hiring a killer. In the end, they opted for a cross burning, which was carried out June 13, 1997….