Jan. 19, 2000
A young mother in Moab says she's been living in terror for the last three weeks, simply because of the color of her skin.
And today, two alleged White Supremacists accused of threatening her had encounters with the law.
News Specialist John Hollenhorst has exclusive details.
One of the alleged racists went to court, the other briefly went to jail, in a complex case that's started some soul-searching in Moab over the issue of racism.
Police are becoming a common sight in a Moab trailer park. A young mother with dark skin says she and her family have been repeatedly targeted with threats, intimidation and harrassment.
She asked to remain anonymous, fearing harrassment, she says, from other racists.
Victim: "It's horrible. I'm scared to leave my house. I'm scared to take my daughter to school. I have spent the day with my mother at work because I'm scared to be here by myself. I'm terrified."
With her husband and mother, she hired a lawyer to fight back. She's part African-American, part American Indian, and very scared.
Victim's husband: "She was physically sick. She went back to the bathroom and was physically sick from the fear."
The family points the finger at two men.
Jaric Robison was seen being interviewed by FBI agents. We don't know why.
His friend, construction worker Bryan Ballard, lived in the trailer park just a few steps from the victims.
At Christmas he hung lights in his tree in the shape of a Nazi swastika. For weeks he displayed a confederate flag.
On New Years Eve, at a local convenience store, Ballard and Robison allegedly yelled "White Power" at the inter-racial couple.
Victim's husband: "I asked them what their problem was. They said, 'White Power! That's what it's all about!' They started quoting from the Bible about the mark of Cain, that my wife had the mark of Cain. Started yelling racial epitaphs at her."
Robison was later charged with a hate-related felony for yanking their car-door open in a threatening manner.
Since then, harrassment has allegedly continued almost daily at the trailer park: racial epithets, 'Heil Hitler' salutes, intimidating drive-bys, threats of murder.
Victim's mother: "We are hostages here. The one moment that I went outside to my neighbors on the 9th, there was another death threat. They said they were going to kill us all, 'Wyoming style.'"
Natasha Hawley/Victim's Lawyer: "Which we believe is a reference to a recent Laramie, Wyoming, killing that was a hate-based killing."
After a brief court appearance, Robison said he would prove his innocence. Ballard has not been charged criminally, but he was briefly arrested for failing to post a $500 peace bond. He denies any racism or wrong-doing.
Bryan Ballard/Accused Harrasser: "A lot of things they made up. They think we're White Power supremacists, when we're really not. I think everybody's a racist in the back of their mind in some areas. They think we're bad people, but we're really not."
Although city officials deny it, the victims claim racism is pervasive in Moab and they're strongly considering moving out. They moved to Moab originally from Omaha, to get away from crime.
