Southern Poverty Law Center Non Profit Org. 400 Washington Avenue • Montgomery, AL 36104 U.S. Postage PAID www.splcenter.org Southern Poverty SPLC REPORT Law Center Published by the Southern Poverty Law Center Fall 2017 Fighting Hate • Teaching Tolerance • Seeking Justice Volume 47, Number 3 SPLC helps nation combat hate after Charlottesville VIA GETTY IMAGES MONTGOMERY, Ala. – As condemn white supremacists an updated edition of Ten Ways the ugly racism and violence of from the start. The more fun- to Fight Hate, its longstanding the growing white nationalist damental problem is that he guide for effectively – and peace- POST THE WASHINGTON movement exploded into view in has failed to take responsibili- fully – taking a stand against Charlottesville last month, the ty for the fact that his campaign bigotry. The guide sets out 10 Southern Poverty Law Center has energized the radical right principles for taking action, in- took action across multiple in this country,” said SPLC cluding how to respond to a fronts to help the public, policy- President Richard Cohen. “At hate rally that has targeted your HOCKSTEIN/FOR EVELYN makers and educators combat it. this point, he simply has no mor- town. The SPLC published full- The SPLC strongly condemned al authority.” page ads in major newspapers, President Trump’s response – his including The New York Times casting of blame on “many sides” SPLC responds to racism and The Washington Post, that VIA AP and his claim that there were Cohen and other SPLC experts outlined the guide’s 10 princi- some “very fine people” among appeared numerous times in ples, along with information the neo-Nazis and other white su- the national media to help the about how to download the premacists who marched at night public understand the true na- publication for free at www. PROGRESS THE DAILY under torches chanting “Jews will ture of the white nationalist splcenter.org. The guide is be- not replace us.” movement and to offer advice ing distributed to community While the nation recoiled, for countering it. SPLC inves- groups across America. RYAN M. KELLY/ RYAN white supremacists reacted tigators, meanwhile, exposed And, as hate groups planned with glee to Trump’s remarks, the role of leading extremists in more rallies for the following which were made over several the violence. weekend, SPLC experts spoke days in the wake of the vehicle In addition, the SPLC dis- with officials in major cities to attack that killed 32-year-old tributed resources to help the help them deal with the vola- Heather Heyer as she took part public, city officials and schools tile situation and ensure there in a peaceful, anti-racist demon- counter the hate being spread by would be no repeat of the vio- stration in Charlottesville. the movement. lence in Charlottesville. The “Unite the Right” rally on Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, Va., attracted hundreds of “The problem isn’t sim- Just three days after Char- neo-Nazis (above) and other racists. One woman was killed and more than 30 peo- ply that the president failed to lottesville, the SPLC published Continued on page 3 ple injured when a white supremacist drove his car into anti-racist counterprotesters. SPLC sues Louisiana companies Judge orders overhaul of prison IN THIS ISSUE that abuse bail clients, extort money mental health care in Alabama NEW ORLEANS – Ronald When he couldn’t make pay- MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The the second of three phases of a a a a Egana’s loved ones turned ments on his bail bond fee, a SPLC won a major victory in its a lawsuit filed in 2014 by the Cohen: ‘Our children to Blair’s Bail Bonds in New bounty hunter arrested him at case against Alabama’s prison Southern Poverty Law Center, Orleans for help, and they were work and took him not to jail but system in June when a federal the Alabama Disabilities Advo- need a role model’ told a $3,275 bail bond fee would to the Blair’s Bail Bonds office. judge declared its mental health cacy Program, and the law firms get him out of jail. Egana was held for hours while care system to be “horrendously Baker Donelson and Zarzaur PAGE 3 But over the next year, they his mother emptied her bank ac- inadequate” – an unconstitu- Mujumdar & Debrosse. ended up paying almost twice count to pay $800 for his release. tional failure that has resulted “This ruling means that pris- a a a a that amount in nonrefundable But, when she arrived at the of- in a “skyrocketing suicide rate.” oners with mental illness may and hidden fees. The compa- fice, she was told she had to pay U.S. District Judge Myron H. finally get the treatment they ny even sent bounty hunters to an additional $1,500. Thompson ordered state offi- have been denied for so long,” kidnap Egana and extort money cials to reform the system and said Maria Morris, the SPLC se- from them. Despite paying, jailed anyway directed them to work with the nior supervising attorney who In June, the SPLC sued to On another occasion, a bounty SPLC and its co-counsel. led the trial team. “The suffering stop these practices. The lawsuit hunter grabbed Egana on his way Thompson identified mul- some of these men and women also seeks class action status so to court in Orleans Parish and tiple areas where the Alabama have endured is excruciating the ruling will apply to others in refused to let him attend the hear- Department of Corrections and inhumane.” similar situations. ing, telling him that he would soon (ADOC) has fallen short of con- Mix It Up at Lunch have a warrant for his arrest. He stitutional standards – ranging Overcrowded, understaffed Fees beyond court requirement even told Egana: “We will see how from a failure to identify pris- Thompson highlighted a key is- Day breaks barriers The lawsuit describes how much money we will get today!” oners with serious mental health sue facing the system: “persistent Blair’s Bail Bonds, New Orleans Egana was held for hours in- needs to the inadequate treat- and severe shortages of men- PAGE 4 Bail Bonds, Bankers Insurance side the Blair’s Bail Bonds office. ment of suicidal prisoners. tal-health staff and correctional Company and Alternative to Even after Egana, his mother “[T]he evidence from both staff, combined with chronic and a a a a Incarceration, a company that and a family friend paid a total sides … materially supported significant overcrowding.” The provided ankle monitoring of $6,000 in fees, a Blair’s bounty the plaintiffs’ claim,” Thompson judge noted that during the tri- One man’s crusade to equipment, worked together to hunter took him to jail because wrote in a June 27 ruling. He lat- al, Corrections Commissioner help those caught in push clients deep into debt with the company claimed that he did er added: “Simply put, ADOC’s Jeff Dunn “described the pris- hidden and illegal fees. not pay what he owed. mental-health care is horren- on system as wrestling with a Trump’s dragnet In Egana’s case, the bond com- Egana was then forced to dously inadequate.” ‘two-headed monster’: over- PAGE 5 pany charged daily fees for an spend days in jail while friends The 302-page opinion came crowding and understaffing.” ankle monitor that was required – and family tried to secure anoth- after a two-month trial that not by the court – but the company. er bond. ended in February. It capped Continued on page 4 2 SPLC REPORT // WWW.SPLCENTER.ORG FALL 2017 A MESSAGE FROM SPLC PRESIDENT RICHARD COHEN SPLC REPORT Published by the Southern Poverty Law Center FALL 2017 America’s children need a role model The Southern Poverty Earlier this year, just days dynamic, perhaps – three words This from a man who encour- But Trump is incapable of ex- Law Center is dedicated to before he left office, President you would never use are integri- aged violence against protesters ercising any moral authority. He fighting hate and bigotry Barack Obama surprised Vice ty, decency or empathy. at his campaign rallies. is incapable of putting country and to seeking justice President Joe Biden by bestow- Ten days after Charlottesville, It’s an incredibly sad state of above self. for the most vulnerable ing on him the nation’s highest Trump was still feeling sorry for affairs for our country. members of our society. civilian honor, the Presidential himself and was pointing the We want our children – who Wallowing in hate, bigotry Using litigation, education, and other forms of Medal of Freedom. finger at others – the media! – learn about the virtues of George The problem with his initial re- advocacy, the SPLC It was a poignant moment. for the hate that he Washington and sponse to Charlottesville wasn’t works toward the day In his remarks, an emotional unleashed during Abraham Lincoln simply that it was too little, too when the ideals of Biden spoke of his deep affection his campaign. early in life – to be late. It was something much equal justice and equal for Obama, saying he had met “The only people able to look up to more fundamental. It was that opportunity will be a few people with the integrity, de- giving a platform to MICHELLE LELAND the president. We he failed to take responsibil- reality. The SPLC also cency and empathy possessed by these hate groups want the president ity for his role in fanning the sponsors the Civil Rights the president. is the media itself to be a role model, flames of hate.