Beating victim asks for FBI's help

ELBERTA, Ala. - Earlier this week Ronald Miller described a frightening ordeal following what appeared at first to be a burglary attempt at his home.

Miller said he was attacked by a group of white men and teenagers who came into his yard in four vehicles. Miller was left with a cut on the ear that required more than 40 stitches. There were no arrests that night even though some of the men were still on the scene when police arrived. Miller said he's looking for help wherever he can find it.

"And I talked to an FBI agent just before I pulled up today and he told me that they have made a report and there will be an agent coming out of Mobile to start interviewing some people and trying to get to the bottom of it," he said.

Miller wasn't along the night the attackers came to his home. Justin Knighton and his family were visiting. He said one of the attackers held him at knife point.

"At that time I heard somebody else say get my gun, get my gun, get my gun out the back of my truck," Knighton said.

Stan Knighton said when he heard his son's story he called the FBI himself.

"It's a pure hate crime. I never thought in the year 2009, I lived through the 60's and 70's. I know what we went through in this country," he said.

While the FBI will neither confirm, nor deny it's involvement in the case, the town of Elberta now says it's handling its own investigation.

"The officers are investigating the appropriate people and as long as the investigation is going on I told any of the people that work for me not to make any comments other than we have an investigation, we have nothing to hide, and we have an investigation and when it's completed we'll be more than happy to answer any questions you have," the mayor said.

Mayor Marvin Williams did tell us the case could ultimately be sent to a grand jury.

The mayor also said two of the suspects in the case are juveniles.

A spokesperson with the FBI told FOX10 News late Wednesday the agency can only take on race discrimination cases that involve voting rights, religious or housing discrimination.