Nevada man charged with hate crime after 'hanging tree' comment at car show

Nevada man charged with hate crime after 'hanging tree' comment at car show

Three people were arrested in Nevada after a verbal altercation and referencing a ‘hanging tree’ during an argument with a Black man who was collecting signatures for a proposed ballot measure southeast of Reno, according to a criminal complaint released on Thursday.

The complaint states that Gary Miller, 74, along with his wife and their adult daughter, were arrested on Wednesday on multiple misdemeanour charges.

Court documents show they were released from Storey County jail after posting bail a few hours later, as reported by AP.

The incident occurred during a classic car show in Virginia City, a popular Old West tourist spot. Ricky Johnson, the Black man involved, began recording the exchange.

According to the documents, Miller told the investigating deputy that Johnson began yelling at him after he mentioned his intention to vote for Trump after which Miller made the ‘hanging tree’ remark.

The video shows both parties shouting profanities. At the start of the video, Johnson challenges Miller to repeat his off-camera comment.

While Miller did not repeat the comment on camera, he later told a sheriff's investigator that he had previously told Johnson ‘There was a hanging tree down the road to go hang out there,’ as noted in an affidavit accompanying the criminal complaint. At one point in the video, when asked by Johnson about the location of the tree, Miller responds with, ‘in your backyard.’

Miller was charged with noise violation and breach of peace, with the latter charge enhanced due to allegations of racial motivation, according to the complaint filed by Storey County District Attorney Anne M. Langer.

Janis Miller, Gary Miller's wife, is charged with battery for allegedly pushing Johnson into the street, as seen in the video. Their daughter, Tiffany Miller, faces charges of obstructing or delaying a police officer.

The August 2 comments quickly drew backlash from local and state officials.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, who is Black, praised the arrests of Miller and his family on Wednesday.

‘The public outcry was heard loud and clear, and steps have been taken to hold these individuals accountable for their racist and unlawful actions,’ Ford stated.

If convicted, most of the charges could result in a maximum penalty of six months in jail.