Marcellus Andrews killing: now Waterloo newspaper is getting flak; defends itself in Sunday editorial

Waterloo's newspaper is, so far, deferring to the police and those friends and family members of Marcellus Andrews who insist that his fatal beating was not a hate crime. Some of the Courier's readers are livid. Yesterday the newspaper defended its position:

The Courier has received communications from people outraged that Andrews' death is not being referred to as a hate crime. The police department is being criticized in some of them. They're not the only ones, as evidenced from an excerpt from one letter to the editor:

     "The killers of Marcellus Andrews reportedly screamed foul, anti-gay epithets. In not specifically condemning anti-gay bigotry, The Courier failed to enunciate that Waterloo is not a hate-accepting city. This is a civil rights battle, one for which all must stand. That some choose to remain seated is unconscionable."

     Let's be very clear. The Courier stands strongly for civil rights as they are outlined in our state and federal constitutions. We decry bigotry in its many forms...

     In the meantime, what transpired leading up to Andrews' death is unclear - or at least not yet public knowledge.

     And we have thought it wise to give some deference to those a little closer to the case. That includes those investigating the event, as well as the victim's family...

 Here's what Grinnell College says about how Iowa law views hate crimes and bias-motivated incidents...