FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1995 (202) 616-2765 TDD (202) 514-1888 TWO ST. LOUIS MEN PLEAD GUILTY TO SPRAYING BLACKS WITH KOOL-AID WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Two Missouri men who were caught on videotape driving around St. Louis spraying more than fifty African-Americans with a high-pressure fire extinguisher pleaded guilty today to federal criminal civil rights violations, the Justice Department announced. David Walden of Ellisville and Shawn Daniels of Fenton admitted to driving into predominantly African-American areas of St. Louis to attack black victims in September 1991. The two, who were videotaped by Walden's now ex-wife, sprayed black residents with water and Kool-aid from a modified fire extinguisher. The spray was so strong it knocked some of the victims to the ground. After the incidents became known to the U.S. Attorney's Office in August 1993, Walden's family provided the media with the videotape, which captures the two referring to their victims as "niggers." As a result, Walden's ex-wife, Deanna Powers, who was in the car during the spree, resigned from her job as a physical education teacher in the Lindburgh School District. No charges were brought against Powers. "Incidents like these remind us all that intolerance is still alive in our great nation," said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick. "We must never let acts of bigotry go unchallenged." Walden, a sales manager, and Daniels, a self-employed small business owner, each face a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Walden and Daniels engaged in similar activities in October 1991, and on January 20, 1992, the holiday celebrating Martin Luther King's birthday. Federal criminal civil rights law makes it a crime to use force or threats to injure or intimidate an individual because of their race or color and their participation in a federally protected activity. Use of transportation facilities is considered such protected activity; several victims were sitting at bus stops when they were attacked. "We will never look the other way when people's civil rights have been so flagrantly violated," said U.S. Attorney in St. Louis, Edward L. Dowd, Jr. The case was investigated by Special Agent Warren Wyman, of the St. Louis Field Office of the FBI. "Some may say discrimination is behind us, but the number of hate crime complaints we receive tell us it isn't," added Patrick. Sentencing is set for May 5. # # # 95-084