Gay Sex Angle Alleged in Murder of Mississippi White Supremacist

Authorities in Mississippi say the black man accused in the grisly murder of a prominent white supremacist confessed to attacking the man after he made sexual advances on him.  Vincent McGee was arraigned Tuesday on upgraded charges of capital murder in the death of 67-year-old Richard Barrett, reports the AP. Barrett was found beaten, stabbed 16 times and burned inside his home on April 22.

Investigators testified that McGee gave them inconsistent statements about why he went to Barrett's house that day. McGee's mother told authorities that Barrett, who used to travel the country promoting his segregationist views, was acquainted with the family and had stopped by their home for about an hour to socialize the night of his death. In one statement, McGee said he went over to Barrett's house to use his computer so he could check his Facebook page and Barrett made sexual advances on him, Rankin County Undersheriff Bryan Bailey testified. In another statement, McGee told investigators he went to the house to confront Barrett about some money owed him for yard work and that "Barrett dropped his pants and asked him to perform a sexual act." It was then, Bailey said, that McGee told investigators that he hit and stabbed Barrett.

The allegations that the far right white supremacist was closeted and/or sexually attracted to black men should "not be" very surprising, the Southern Poverty Law Center's Mark Potok told Randi Kaye with CNN's AC360.

"[Polok] says being gay is one of the greatest hypocrisy among white supremacists. 'It is unbelievably common in the white supremacist world to find people who are desperately anti-gay but secretly gay….We’ve seen a good number of white supremacist leaders who have actually been tossed out of the movement when it was found that they were in fact engaged in gay relationships with men,'  Potok said."

Barrett's body was released this week.  There will be no funeral.

You may recall that Eugène Terre’Blanche, the notorious South African white supremacist,. was hacked to death at his remote farm on April 3. The two black workers accused said Terre'Blanche—who has been implicated with other young men—made advances.

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Comments

[Derrick from Philly]

Old Miss Ann made her final exit with a bang, didn't she? Sometimes one's secret sexual desire can be deadly...especially if you deserve the consequence.

[FREELEO]

"Old Miss Ann...LOL" I'm not sure how I feel about this one. What can be said? Pick your trade more wisely? smh....

[greg2]

Irregardless of being a white supremacist or Alan Keyes,or a 20 year old twink, to beat and kill someone for "dropping his pants and asking for a sexual act" that is someone that needs to be locked up.He probably would attack someone for "looking at him in a gay way".

[Derrick from Philly]

A sixty-seven white supremacist would have been around during those years when black men were castrated, had ears cut off, burned to death--sometimes punishment for looking at white folks in an uppity way.

No, the young criminal's actions weren't justified, but the old racist criminal's demise at the hands of his black stud may have been poetic justice.

[Ravenback]

Again, I hope this is not the "gay panic" defense. Regardless of the reprehensible views and actions of the white supremacist, I don't want the "gay panic" defense to succeed. Any success of this disgusting ploy will only make this type of defense even more utilized.

[Ravenback]

Furthermore, I guess that McGee couldn't use the racist angle because apparently Barrett was a friend of the McGee family to the point of him going over the Barrett's house to use his computer.

It just has to be said. McGee killed Barrett for no justifiable reason whatsoever. He chose his lot in life and now he must suffer the consequences. This will be an interesting case. A murder of a white supremacist that has nothing to do with racism. Very interesting.

[Reggieh]

A also hope that this is not an attempt to sway the jury with a 'gay panic' defense, or play on their (possible) homophobia. While I wouldn't be surprised to find out a white supremacist had a hankering for black d***, it is no justification for murder.

[FREELEO]

There will be no tea and sympathy for members of the white knights. I don't care how they die. They murdered, raped, and mutilated my ancestors for generations. Now some of them call themselves teabaggers. Some of you look at his photo (Barrett) and see an old man. I see a member of a lynch mob. I don't care if we share the same sexual proclivity. He is evil. Nina said it best; "Mississippi God****!"

[Ravenback]

@ Freeleo

I don't see a nice, old man when I look at Barrett. But the end doesn't justify the means either. And my point is about the "gay panic" defense which is homophobia on steroids. It is an attack on all LGBT folks. And re-read the article. McGee knew this guy and was friendly with him. I have never been friendly with white supremacists or ex-white supremacists in my life. What was McGee and his family thinking?

[Chris Cruz]

Ravenback: Re the families, I was thinking the same thing. Why was this black family on friendly terms with an avowed white supremacist? Is yard work that hard to come by in this town?

[FREELEO]

Ravenback, that has been the southern way. Blacks speaking to whites during the day, and whites burning down those same black family's homes at night. I read the article thoroughly. Perhaps some of you don't understand the nuances of racism. There are good people who are murdered every day by bad men, and my heart bleeds for them. In this case you had one bad man who killed another bad man. There will be no tears..

[greg2]

To clarify my earlier statement,I don't want the "gay panic" defense to be a successful strategy for this case.I agree, two evils that have a poetic justice outcome.

[Account Deleted]

"Perhaps some of you don't understand the nuances of racism"

Perhaps you don't understand we have every right to be concerned with the "victim' using this as a gay panic defense. I hope you're just as angry about that.

[Ravenback]

@ Freeleo

I stand by everything I said earlier. Who cares about the southern way. It is 2010, not 1910. That's the problem with many people today. It is time to shed the long standing ignorance of yesteryear. You don't understand racism anymore than the next person. And you have failed to explain why someone would hang out with a known white supremacist. And if you read the article as you say, then you would know that this case has very little to do with racism. With all due respect Freeleo, your rationalization is shaky at best. Bad man or not, McGee was using the man's computer in the man's home. I bet there is more to this story than we know at the moment. Kind of surprised that you just let the "gay panic" issue slide right by you. After all, that was the thrust of my argument. No where did I show sympathy for the white supremacist. So don't lecture me about the subtleties or nuances of racism. I know racism very well thank you.

[Ravenback]

@ Freeleo

And on the issue of the "southern way" that you refer to, in the old days, Blacks didn't have a choice in the matter. Blacks couldn't stand up to whites because the cops and the courts didn't back them up. If a black person raised an objection to white racists, then he would have been lynched or run out of town. They would jeopardize their jobs and the black community as well. Black and white racists weren't friends. They just co-existed. And the black man was always operating from a position of weakness. That's just my limited knowledge of racism -- the southern way.

[Gee Geee]

That old dog racist got his just desserts!!!!
@ Ravenback..With the exception of lynching in some areas of this country, what you described as old southern racism STILL EXIST. Not a lot has changed since the "old days". And to be clear, the gay panic defense cannot be ignored. Some people HAVE acted in un-reasonable ways because of unwanted advances. Perhaps not in this case, but the defense is relevant.

[FREELEO]

Ravenback: if you are African American, I invite you to visit places in Alabama, Ms, Ga, Tx, etc., and see for yourself. Very little has changed regarding race relations. If you aren't African American, you won't understand the racial aspect of this story. To reiterate; I don't care how some old southern racist meets his end.

[Ravenback]

@ Freeleo and Gee Geee

Actually, I was playing off of what Freeleo had said in his previous comments about the southern way. I thought you would pick up on that, but I guess I gave you too much credit.

And yes Freeleo, I am black. My parents grew up in the South and I have countless relatives who still live down South. So what is your point? That somehow you are more African-American or more black than I am? Explain yourself better.

And to Gee Geee, the gay panic defense is never relevant or valid. Just because a gay person makes an unwanted pass at someone who isn't gay, that doesn't give one the right to inflict physical harm on another person. Ever. You got that. The gay panic defense is only employed to take advantage of a jury's deep-seated homophobic views. Nothing more and nothing less. Basically, the defendant is trying to get a jury nullification vote of not guilty. I pray that you never get attacked because someone perceived you to be gay and then they get acquitted because they convinced a jury that you made unwanted advances towards them. I guess you would be OK with that.

Again, neither one of you comprehended what I stated earlier. I have no sympathy towards the white supremacist and the murderer. And my issue with this case has been solely about the gay panic defense. I only responded to Freeleo because he made certain assumptions about those who dared to question the use of gay panic as somehow being sympathetic towards a white supremacist. If that type of defense succeeds, mostly LGBT folks will suffer because of it. The gay panic defense is just an excuse to kill LGBT folks with very little punishment. If you can't see that Gee Geee or Freeleo, then neither one of you are gay. That's assuming that either one of you are gay. Reading comprehension is so lacking today.

[Gee Gee]

Ravenback! Girl, calm down!! We are all entitled to our opinion, and just because you do not agree, does not give you the right to insult those of us who freely share it. Which underminds your entire post in your sorry attempt to enlighten. And for the record, reading and comprehension ability does not have anything to do with us not rallying behind your points. You seem really insecure, get it together.....LOL.

[Ravenback]

I didn't insult you. What I did do is quite clearly point out how you and Freeleo misinterpreted what I had said. You said that the gay panic defense is relevant. Your words. I challenged what you had said. Freeleo questioned whether or not I was black. I appropriately responded. You want me to calm down. Why? Because I forcefully pushed back at what you and Freeleo said. And the only way you can undermine my post is if you successfully counter my position on the gay panic defense. Just because you feel insulted doesn't mean that I insulted you. That's your problem to deal with. Your latest response to my comment has absolutely nothing to do with facts. You are simply whining about how I insulted you. That's fine with me. Your response shows that you can't defend your argument that gay panic defense is relevant. You can't counter my position that gay panic defense is just another for of jury nullification. And by the way, reading comprehension is important because failed to realize that I was responding to Freeleo's use of the southern way. My question to you is, are you willing to justify the use of the gay panic defense just to get a black man off for killing a white supremacist despite the fact that it will only allow others to get away with killing gay people or those who are perceived to be gay?

Your so-called insults hurled at me are meaningless. You already lost the argument.

[Ravenback]

@ Gee Gee

I like how you ended your whining with LOL, because you should be laughing at the ridiculous argument that you made claiming that the gay panic defense is relevant.

All the whining about how I insulted you is your problem to deal with. Just because you say that I insulted you doesn't mean that I did such a thing. And I don't consider your comments about me being insecure or referring to me as Girl as insulting. You are after all entitled to your views no matter how wrong you are. But this is a blog where people can comment to what you say as well. So deal with it.

My question to you is, since you think the gay panic defense is relevant, do you endorse using a clearly homophobic defense designed to evoke a jury nullification for a black man killing a white supremacist supposedly because the murder victim (in the eyes of the law mind you) made an unwanted pass at the murderer? The answer will expose your true position.

This wasn't my original response, but my comment didn't post.