Four Charged in Graffiti Hoax

Four Charged In Racist Graffiti Hoax

Monday, Dec 10, 2007 - 05:04 PM


By Charmayne Brown
E-mail Biography
Racial slurs spray painted on a Spartanburg home. Police started investigating the hate crime, and now the woman who claimed she was a victim is charged with being involved herself.
Police have charged four people with this crime including the very person who made the original complaint as the victim. Back in October we did a story with Robin Rankins-White after the door of her home at 203 South Hampton Drive was spray painted with racist graffiti. At that time Rankins-White appeared to be really upset and furious about the racial slurs. She told us and police that a white contractor had put those offensive marks on the door.

On Monday she turned herself in to police at Spartanburg Public Safety because she is charged with conspiracy. Police say there is no doubt that Rankins-White was involved with that crime. Police say Rankins-White's original story started unraveling when they gathered phone records. Officers say they also had a confession from the man who was going to buy the house Darrell Miller told police he was told to spray paint those racial slurs.
Four people were charged in this case. Robin Rankins-White, her sister, Darrell Miller and Rankins-White’s daughter was also charged. She is the only one who did not turn herself in on Monday. Police say she is out of town, but they are in touch with her attorney and if she doesn't turn herself in they will go get her. Each is charged with at least two counts of conspiracy.
Police say the motive in the case is Rankins-White was trying to get the contractor back for not doing some work she had paid him for.