Office of the Attorney General
Washington, D.C. 20530
June 19, 1996
MEMORANDUM FOR ALL UNITED STATES ATTORNEYS
FROM: The Attorney General
SUBJECT: Violence Against Churches
The President has declared the investigation of fires and other
attacks
on houses of worship a top priority of federal law enforcement, and the
Secretary
of Treasury and I have established a National Task Force to coordinate the
investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for these attacks.
The
National Task Force is chaired by the Assistant Attorney General for Civil
Rights
Deval L. Patrick and the Assistant Treasury Secretary for Enforcement James
E.
Johnson. The Directors of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the
Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Louis Freeh and John Magaw respectively,
also sit
on the National Task Force. Representatives of the Criminal Division and of
the
United States Attorneys are also actively working with the National Task
Force
effort. The President has asked the National Task Force to report back to
him
on its progress. The National Task Force is also to advise and recommend
other
actions the federal government can take to sto
p the rash of fires.
Many of you have already formed in your districts a local task
force
with state and local law enforcement to investigate such incidents. Those
who
have not should do so immediately. Each task force should include
representatives from the FBI, ATF and U.S. Marshals Service, as well as
appropriate representatives from state and local law enforcement and fire
protection services.
As you know, these attacks on churches have devastating effects on
the
victim congregations. Accordingly, your task force also should include a
Victim-Witness and/or LECC coordinator who can provide the victims with
both
guidance about the availability of support services and information, as
appropriate, about the ongoing investigation to ensure full compliance with
42
U.S.C. § 10607(c). In addition, the Department's Community Relations
Service
should be included as a member of your task force, where possible.
To ensure effective coordination among the various law enforcement
agencies, it is imperative that the National Task Force be regularly
apprised of
important developments in the field. Karla Dobinski, Deputy Chief of the
Civil
Rights Division's Criminal Section has been assigned to handle day-to-day
coordination of the investigations and prosecutions. I am directing you to
designate a point of contact in your office to serve as the link with the
National Task Force.
As incidents occur, it is critical that urgent reports be routed
immediately to EOUSA, which will inform the National Task Force members
through
Ms. Dobinski. Because these matters are of the utmost national interest,
as
defined in the bluesheet dated May 10, 1995, a Civil Rights Division
Criminal
Section prosecutor will be assigned to the investigative and trial teams for
each
church attack. See USAM Sections 8-3.00 - 8-3.150. Ms. Dobinski also
should be
advised regarding significant developments in investigations or state
prosecutions, as well as investigative or other issues that are likely to
generate public attention. She also must be consulted regarding and prior
to any
decision to prosecute federally or to decline such prosecution.
As you know, the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
approves
all indictments arising from these attacks, regardless of how they are
charged.
Continuous consultation between the Civil Rights Division and the United
States
Attorneys' offices will speed up rather than inhibit the process of
investigating
and prosecuting these important matters.
Attached to this memo is a list of points of contact for the
National
Task Force. Thank you for your cooperation and work on this law
enforcement
priority.
Attachment
cc: FBI Director Freeh
ATF Director Magaw
EOUSA Director DiBattiste
Acting Assistant Attorney General Keeney
|