Hate Crime Guilty Plea In Case Of Noose Left At Crofton School

CROFTON, MD — A Crofton man who pleaded guilty to a hate crime for climbing up on the roof of Crofton Middle School to hang a noose, a symbol of racial strife and violence, must do his community service with a local civil rights group. On May 12, Anne Arundel County Police arrested Conner Charles Prout, 19, for hanging the racially-charged object a day earlier.

Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Wes Adams said Thursday that Prout pleaded guilty to the charge of race/religious belief — harass/commit a crime upon and was sentenced to 120 hours of community service to be completed under the direction of the Anne Arundel County NAACP.

"We cannot tolerate any attempts to generate division within our community, especially when these acts affect our children," Adams said in a news release. "Although the hurt felt by those who witnessed the noose cannot be undone, I appreciate that Mr. Prout is accepting responsibility for his actions. The ability to come together and fashion a positive resolution to such a deplorable incident speaks volumes to our community's commitment to moving forward toward equality."

John Adam Havermann, 19, of Pasadena, is set to go to trial Oct. 19 on a hate crime charge for his role in the noose incident.

A teacher spotted the noose hanging from a light fixture on the exterior of the school, located at 2301 Davidsonville Road in Crofton, at about 11 a.m. on May 11. A school custodian immediately took the object down and police were called.

After watching video surveillance from the school, police determined that the two suspects gained access to the building's roof and placed the noose on the light fixture.

Police posted still shots from the Crofton Middle School's security footage to social media and received multiple tips that named Prout as the person shown. When police went to his house, Prout admitted he was the man on the security footage.

"Our school system's quest to Elevate All Students and Eliminate All Gaps is predicated on the mission that all must mean all," Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. George Arlotto said in a statement. "The diversity of our communities is what makes us great, and we support any effort that thwarts attempts to tear us apart instead of bring us all together."

Principal Nuria Miller told parents in a May 11 letter that the action sent a "disturbing" and "intolerant" message to the community. She added that the incident "is clearly disturbing on many levels. While it appears to have no connection to our instructional day or any instructional unit our students are currently studying, we cannot ignore the intolerant message this act conveys." She also vowed that it would not change the "inclusive and supportive school community."

Prout was sentenced to a suspended sentence of three years in prison and 18 months of supervised probation. In addition to the standard conditions of probation, Prout must complete 120 hours of community service under the direction of the NAACP. The sentence was devised in collaboration with the Rev. Stephen A. Tillett, president of the Anne Arundel County NAACP.

“I am very proud of the hard work our detectives put in to solving this case. I am hopeful that this swift arrest offers at least some degree of closure for the students, faculty and staff at the Crofton Middle School," Police Chief Timothy Altomare said in a May statement. "There is no place in our community for the sentiment communicated by such an act, and we will always give 100 percent effort to bring to justice anyone who commits a crime espousing hateful ideology.”

Police spokesman Lt. Ryan Frashure previously told Patch that no note was left with the noose and police are still trying to determine the exact motive of the suspects. But police "obviously know the powerful visual meaning that is associated with a noose," Frashure said.

In recent weeks, nooses have been found and reported at the University of Maryland and American University. No arrests have been made in either case.

»Photo of Conner Prout of Crofton, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police.