Chattanooga: Court date moved for men charged with civil rights intimidation

photo These men were charged with civil rights intimidation on 7/10/11 James Smiley, 27, and Kyle Montgomery, 21, Colton Partin, 21.

A court date has been moved to Aug. 12 for three men accused of throwing lit fireworks and shouting racial slurs at a public housing complex.

Colton Partin, James Smiley and Kyle Montgomery reportedly threw the fireworks toward East Lake Courts early in the morning of July 9. They now face charges of civil rights intimidation.

"I don't think it's a question of whether or not there were fireworks. I think it's a question of whether or not there is a civil rights issue," said Lee Davis, a defense attorney, representing Partin.

The local NAACP has called for a federal investigation.

Additional charges likely will be filed against the men on the state or federal level, according to Chattanooga police spokeswoman Sgt. Jerri Weary. Further investigation into the incident "has produced new evidence that speaks to the very nature of the crime and the severity of how dangerous the act was," she said in a news release.

In General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck's courtroom today, prosecutors asked for the court date to be moved to collect evidence and plan to make surveillance footage at East Lake Courts available for attorneys to review.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.

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