By Mackenzie Bodell | Denver Gazette
The federal trial for two of the three suspects facing charges related to a hate crime “hoax” that made headlines during the 2023 Colorado Springs mayoral runoff election is set to begin Monday.
In November, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Colorado announced that Derrick Bernard Jr., 35, Ashely Blackcloud, 40, and Deanna West, 38, were indicted by a federal grand jury for “maliciously conveying false information about a threat made by means of fire” to draw support for the eventual mayoral race winner, now Mayor Yemi Mobolade.
The indictment states that the hate crime itself involved a burning cross in front of a campaign sign defaced with a racial slur amid the runoff between Mobolade, who is Black, and Wayne Williams, who is White.