3 get prison time for cross burning

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) - A father and son from Muncie, along with another friend were sentenced to more than a year in prison for a cross burning.

The incident occurred back in July 2008.

Richard LaShure and his son, Richard Logue, along with Aaron Latham were sentenced to at least a year in prison.

Federal prosecutors said the three men burned a cross in the yard of an African-American family who lived on North Jefferson Street.

The assistant U.S. Attorney General in charge of the Civil Rights Division was in Indianapolis Friday morning to talk about the federal investigation into the cross-burning.

Thomas Perez said hate crimes, along with human trafficking, lead the way when it comes to civil rights violations.

"When you have a father-son team involved in an act of unspeakable dimensions, it really raises issues about America. And about the need for us not only on our law enforcement but the need for us to ensure that we can change these attitudes,” said Perez.

This was the second case in two years in which the Civil Rights Division has brought charges for a cross burning that occurred in Muncie.