White Supremacist Couple Convicted

The Associated Press/July 27, 2002
By Denise Lavoie

Boston -- The mixed-race son of civil rights activists and his white girlfriend were convicted of plotting to blow up Jewish and black landmarks in a scheme prosecutors said was designed to spark a race war.

A federal jury deliberated seven hours over two days before convicting Leo Felton, son of a black father and white mother, and his girlfriend, Erica Chase.

Felton has said he blames his parents for "contaminating'' him with black blood.

Felton's father, an architect living in suburban Toronto, told The Boston Globe that he wishes his son would renounce his supremacist beliefs, but that he still supports him.

"I still intend to write him,'' Calvin Felton said. "If I had the money, I'd hire him a hotshot attorney.''

Felton's mother, who lives in Maryland, said her son has fought mental illness all his life.

"I love my son,'' Corrine Vincelette told The Globe. "I think you have to recognize that this is a sick man.''

Felton, 31, and Chase, 22, were arrested in April 2001 when an off-duty police officer spotted Chase passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a doughnut shop.

Investigators said Felton was making the phony money to help fund their plan and had already gathered most of the ingredients to make a bomb, including a 50-pound bag of ammonium nitrate, the fertilizer used in the Oklahoma City bombing.

"Their plan was to ignite a racial holy war ... that would promote chaos among the races,'' prosecutor Emily Schulman told the jury.

The defense maintained the couple were being prosecuted for their beliefs and never planned to carry out violent acts.

Both were found guilty of conspiring to make a bomb, conspiring to make counterfeit bills, obstruction of justice, conspiring to obstruct justice and firearms violations. Felton was convicted of making counterfeit bills; Chase was acquitted on that charge.

Felton was also convicted of bank robbery, conspiracy to commit bank robbery and attempting to receive explosives with the intent to kill or injure people, or damage property.

Under federal sentencing guidelines, Felton faces a minimum of 35 years behind bars.

Chase's attorney, Timothy Watkins, said his client meant no harm.

"Erica continues to maintain that she didn't advocate violence against any person or any group,'' he said. "We're disappointed with the verdict but we accept it.''

Felton's attorney, Lenore Glaser, said only that she was happy the judge agreed to reconsider one of the gun charges.

Felton was a member of the White Order of Thule, while Chase belonged to the World Church of the Creator. They met after Chase corresponded with Felton for almost a year while he was in prison for the attempted murder of a black taxi driver.