New Black Panther party protests dragging death in Texas

New Black Panther party protests dragging death in Texas

Dropped charges against two white men once accused in the dragging death of an African American man is still dividing the town of Paris, Texas. Shannon Finley and Charles Crostley were released Thursday, June 5th after a state judge in Paris dismissed the murder charges against them. The two had been charged with murdering 24-year-old Brandon McClelland after an argument during a late night beer run the three friends had made last fall. They say the two white men purposely ran over McClelland, dragging his body about 70 feet. The prosecutor, though, dropped the charges last month when a gravel truck driver admitted he might have accidentally run over McClelland. Prosecutors say the gravel truck driver is unlikely to be charged. Tuesday, about 100 members of the New Black Panthers and local residents demonstrated calling for justice; however, some white residents say the incident had nothing to do with race.