A Mississippi county prosecutor has come under fire after commenting online that she hopes “the deadly strain” of the coronavirus “spreads in riots,” in response to George Floyd protests.
Pamela Hancock, who is in her second term as Madison County prosecutor, responded to a friend’s Facebook post on Monday that said: “Does Covid spread during massive street riots or just in bars and restaurants? Asking for a friend.”
Hancock commented: “We can only hope the deadly [coronavirus] strain spreads in riots!”
This comment has since been deleted. Hancock defended her remark in a phone interview with Mississippi Today on Monday.
“My job is to prosecute all crimes, including civil disobedience,” she said. “I’m against any breach of peace or criminal activity, and I would prosecute it. I have nothing against people peacefully protesting, but breaking into businesses and stealing things is a crime.”
Hancock added, “I was really just making light of it. I was not serious about wanting anyone to die. That’s not who I am. The post was kind of a joke, and I was attempting to joke back. Obviously, I did it very poorly. If you ask anybody that knows me, I don’t hold any ill will towards anyone or any group. I only try to be fair.”
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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