Norwich Area Targeted With Racial Fliers

Associated Press/December 3, 2002

Norwich, CT -- Some fliers raising the issue of interracial relationships have been turning up in the Norwich area. The fliers, which include the phrase "Race Mixing Kills," were left at some homes in Norwich, Griswold and Voluntown.

The fliers had pictures of a white woman, Renea Ervin, who died March 14, and her husband Michael Ervin, who is black and who has been charged in her death.

"I think it's a sad state of affairs," Jackie Owens, president of the Norwich NAACP, said Monday. "It was a cowardly act to do that. ... Going around putting fliers on people's cars is like trying to light a cross at night."

The flier was identified as originating from the National Alliance of Connecticut, a white supremacist group.

"Although they may be distasteful to the recipients, it falls within these groups' First Amendment rights to send these fliers," Lt. Franklyn Ward said.

Some Wylie School Road residents in Voluntown and Griswold residents reported receiving fliers, most in newspaper tubes, some thrown on driveways, others left on car windows.