Hate crime: Guilty 

BY BILL KNIGHT

The last of the three family members arrested in connection with a fight in Canton Memorial Day weekend last year pleaded guilty on March 13.

In a complicated agreement with prosecutors, Shane Weller, 19, pleaded guilty:

• to aggravated battery, commission of a hate crime and mob action, for which he was sentenced to 30 months’ probation, a $1,000 fine, $1,623 court costs, 180 days in jail, and no contact with the victim or the victim’s family;

• to domestic battery in an unrelated case, receiving a $500 fine, $842 in court costs, two years’ conditional discharge and four days in jail; and

• for possession of a stolen vehicle, receiving 30 months’ probation, no fine, $792 court costs, and 180 days in jail.

The sentences are reportedly to be served consecutively, and he was given credit for time served.

In February, his mother, 42-year-old Carrie Weller, and his brother, 22-year-old Corry Weller, both accepted guilty pleas for reduced charges. Both were given 90-day jail sentences and required to pay court costs.

All three were arrested for committing a hate crime, mob action and aggravated battery after a May 29 fight in which 15-year-old Dedric Foley was attacked. Foley’s father is African American and mother is white.

As the Community Word reported last August, a misunderstanding at Canton Lake north of the campgrounds there apparently escalated into a verbal exchange, a shoving match, and then violence captured by a smartphone video in which a woman encouraged the attack, saying, “Kill that n*****!”



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