Feds called for controversial coffin

By William R. Toler

When Bill Harper arrived to pick up his coffin Saturday morning, he didn’t find it.

Instead, Harper found a representative from the NAACP, according to Michael Speciale, Craven County GOP chairman, who believes the involvement of the civil rights organization may have intimidated Sheriff Jerry Monette to fail to keep his word.

Over the weekend, the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, state chairman of the NAACP, released a statement calling the coffin “threatening” because it had an anti-Obama bumper sticker on it. Barber added, “There is no telling how many voters it had frightened away.  It appeared to be an obvious threat to Sen. Obama—a warning to him to stay away from North Carolina.”

Speech stifled in Craven County

By William R. Toler

A Craven County man will get his coffin back.

Former county commissioner Bill Harper said deputies removed his coffin, a political tool he’s been using since 1992, from the early voting site at the Number Seven Township Fire Station on Old Cherry Point Road Oct. 31.

Harper had been camped out at the site for the past few days with his coffin dressed with signs relating to Joe the Plumber, being “Taxed to Death” and anti-Obama signs.

The Board of Elections said earlier this week that Harper and his coffin were fine as long as he stayed within the designated cut-off area for political material at the site.