How The Murder Of 5-Year-Old Cannon Hinnant Became A Conservative Controversy About Race

TOPLINE

The shooting death of a 5-year-old North Carolina boy in his front yard on August 9 has since erupted into a political argument over how the media covers race and crime, with conservative commentators on Fox News and other outlets criticizing the media for ignoring the fact the boy was white and suspect Black, though many national news outlets did in fact cover the killing, which police and the boy’s parents say they don’t believe was racially motivated.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

“This is no racial issue,” Cannon’s father, Austin Hinnant, told The Wilson Times. Grandmother Gwen Hinnant told the Washington Post that she “can’t think of a reason why that seems plausible.”

Chief critic

Walsh, the conservative blogger, wrote for The Daily Wire on August 13 that “this story has gotten almost no coverage by the American national media,” and that “there would almost certainly be rioting, spurned on in part by the incessant coverage.” At that point in time, The AP, The Daily Beast, Yahoo, ABC News and CBS News affiliates had published stories on Hinnant.

Big number

Nearly $770,000. That’s how much a GoFundMe started by grandmother Gwen Hinnant has raised as of Monday, far outstripping its initial $5,000 goal. 

Key background

Wilson police did not respond to a request for comment by Forbes. According to the Post, Sessoms has a prior criminal record, and served two prison stints in 2017 for felony drug possession and felony firearm and drug charges. Sessoms was previously charged three times with maintaining a house for drug activity, but only one resulted in a conviction. Sessoms made his first court appearance Tuesday and indicated he would hire an attorney, rather than use a public defender. As of Monday, reports emerged that Hinnant’s mother, Bonnie Wadell, will seek the death penalty in Sessoms’ trial. 

Further reading

What we know about the killing of 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant (Washington Post)

The father of a 5-year-old boy killed in North Carolina says the suspect was a neighbor for eight years (CNN)