Threatened by Mail

Threatened by mail
Friday, April 18, 2008
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Below is a look at local athletes and others the FBI says have received hate mail from Pepper Pike resident David Tuason, who was charged earlier this month. Prosecutors said he threatened to kill or maim them. Nearly all were black men who dated white women or were children of interracial couples. Ollie Thomas, who is black, believes he was targeted because he ran for class president at Mentor High.
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OLLIE THOMAS
Mentor High School track athlete
Received: Around May 30, 2003.
Thomas ran track at Mentor but was in the news more in May 2003 because of the school's controversial senior class president election, an election filled with accusations of ballot-stuffing and racial discrimination. It resulted in co-presidency at the predominantly white school between Thomas and Bob Kinner.
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CLARENCE THOMAS
Supreme Court Justice
Received: Around July 25, 2003.
Thomas is married to a white woman.
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KRISTIN PEOPLES
Former Kent State women's
basketball player
Received: Around April 14, 2007.
Photo of Peoples with her parents, an interracial couple, appeared in The Plain Dealer on Dec. 12, 2006, accompanying a story about the basketball player transferring to Kent State.
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CASEY NANCE
Revere High School girls
basketball player
Received: Around Oct. 10, 2007.
Nance is the daughter of former Cavaliers player Larry Nance, who is black, and Jaynee Nance, who is white. A story and picture of Nance about her decision to play for the University of Dayton appeared in The Plain Dealer on Sept. 28, 2007.
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AL JARREAU
Musician
Received: Around Feb. 4, 2008.
Jarreau married a white woman.
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SEAL
Singer
Received: Around Feb. 6, 2008.
Seal is married to model Heidi Klum, who is white.
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D.J. WOODS
Strongsville High School football player
Received: Around March 3, 2008.
Woods, who is biracial, is often in the news for his athletic achievements. The Cincinnati recruit was pictured with stories on the cover of The Plain Dealer's Sports section and Locker Room section in February.
Tuason is also suspected of sending letters to the following people:
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ST. IGNATIUS SOCCER TEAM
Barry Rice and Justin Morrow
Received: Nov. 30, 2004.
Both Rice and Morrow, who are black, were pictured with their Homecoming dates, who were white, in The Plain Dealer's Locker Room section on Nov. 18, 2004.
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ST. EDWARD HIGH SCHOOL
Unspecified athletes or students
Received: Dec. 2, 2004.
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JASON TAYLOR
Miami Dolphins defensive lineman and former Akron player
Received: Unknown.
Taylor married a white woman.
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DEREK JETER
New York Yankees shortstop
Received: Unknown.
Jeter is biracial.
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TAYE DIGGS
Actor
Received: Unknown.
Diggs married a white woman.
SOURCES: FBI, indictment,
Plain Dealer research.