Man pleads not guilty to sending noose to Lima activist

10/20/2009
BLADE STAFF

A Portland, Ore. man charged with mailing a noose to a Lima, Ohio activist pleaded not guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Toledo.

Daniel Lee Jones, 32, had been released from federal custody after his arrest earlier this month in Portland. He appeared for arraignment Tuesday, and Magistrate Vernelis Armstrong agreed to continue his release with certain conditions.

Mr. Jones, who was a regional director with the neo-Nazi group, the American National Socialist Workers Party, is charged with mailing a threatening communication and interfering with federally protected activities.

He allegedly mailed a noose and racist literature to Jason Upthegrove, president of the Lima chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in February, 2008. He also is accused of sending hate flyers to some Lima residents.

The alleged incidents occurred in the weeks after a Lima police officer shot an African-American woman to death during a drug raid, and Mr. Upthegrove spoke out about unfair treatment of African-Americans by Lima police.