Lin Newborn
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Lin Newborn (born May 7 1974, died July 4 1998) was an African-American who had spent much of his adult life campaigning against racism. He lived in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was a member of Anti-Racist Action and Unity Skins, an organization of anti-racism skinheads. He has become a martyr for anti-racism activists after being murdered at the age of 24 by white supremacists.
Newborn was murdered, along with his best friend and fellow anti-racism activist Daniel Shersty, on July 4, 1998. Newborn's body was found on July 6 three miles west of U.S. Highway 95 near Rome Boulevard, within 150 yards of Shersty's body. Friends of Newborn believe he was the main target of the attack in the desert. Police state that the victims were lured into a trap by two women, and taken to a northwest part of the valley under the pretext of attending a party. They were then beaten and possibly tortured before being shot to death by white racial extremists. Police speculate that Newborn may have been trying to escape when he was killed.
John "Polar Bear" Butler, 26, a known neo-nazi skinhead, was convicted of the murders and sentenced to death. He is registered with the Las Vegas police department's gang unit as white supremacist, and was allegedly the leader of a group called the Independent Nazi Skins. Four other neo-nazis remain uncharged in connection with their involvement in the murder. Police found over 40 sets of distinct footprints near where the bodies were found, which is in an area of the desert used by neo-nazis for target shooting.
Lin Newborn sang in a local band called Life of Lies, and was a member of Unity Skins, an organization of skinheads whose aim is to peacefully combat racism. He is survived by his only son, who was 2 years old at the time of his death.
External links
- Eye on Hate article (http://eyeonhate.com/pows/pows8.html)
- Las Vegas Review-Journal: Butler sentenced to die for slayings (http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2001/Jan-11-Thu-2001/news/15207485.html)
- Racist Skinheads - Nazi Skinhead gets death in murder of antiracists (http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=246)
- Obituary (http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/1998/Jul-12-Sun-1998/news/7830320.html)