3 Questioned in Texas on Church Fires Are Freed
Citing lack of evidence, police on Tuesday released three men who had been questioned in weekend arsons at two black churches.
“At this point, no charges will be filed concerning the fires at the local churches,” Police Chief Barry Paris said, adding: “The investigation is not going away. . . . We will go however long it takes to bring this case to closure.”
The weekend fires at New Light House of Prayer and the Church of the Living God were the latest in a string of 30 arsons across the South at black churches. The latest blazes have been ruled arson, said Steven Steele of the ATF.
Attorneys general in Southern states plan to form a multistate task force to investigate the fires, South Carolina Atty. Gen. Charlie Condon said Tuesday.
Also Tuesday, Mennonite volunteers, mostly from the Midwest and California, worked to rebuild Mt. Zoar Baptist Church in Boligee, Ala., which burned in January. The volunteers set up temporary living quarters in trailers on the site of the burned church.
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