Prosecutors will not to press hate crime charges -- or any charges at all -- against two juveniles who left a noose on the Amherst College football field over Labor Day weekend.
"We fully recognize the power of that symbol," she said in an interview Wednesday. "But from everything we've looked at in this case, they did not recognize the power of that symbol, and were not directing it at anyone."
"I want people to understand that it's a situation that was more of an impulsive act borne out of their age, and their lack of judgment and cultural ignorance," Healy said.
A spokesperson for the district attorney said the juveniles were "young teens."
In a statement, college president Biddy Martin said while she "respects" the district attorney's decision, it "does not change the fact that the incident was deeply offensive, anxiety-producing, and painful."
Student Not Buying It
Amherst College student Lindsay Turner is the senior chair of the Black Student Union. She said she does not believe "for a second" the kids did not know the meaning behind the noose.
"Now I'm not saying send them to jail for 70 years," Turner said. "But I'm saying that there needs to be some kind of disciplinary action so that it doesn't set a precedent for this being some kind of acceptable behavior, because that's exactly what's going to happen."
Still, Turner said she was not surprised by the DA's decision.
"It's classic that people get off for doing blatant displays of racial intimidation and not being properly punished for it," she said. "That is something that has been repeated infinitely throughout American history."
