A memorial for Sade Robinson, a 19-year-old woman killed and dismembered after she went on a date with the man charged in her murder, was scrapped after a Milwaukee official said he received a "flurry of racist emails."
The memorial would have been installed, using $7,000 of taxpayers' money, in Warnimont Park in Cudahy, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Juan Miguel Martinez, county supervisor for Milwaukee’s District 12, said that after he talked with Robinson's mother, Sheena Scarbrough, they agreed "it would be best to withdraw the resolution" because of the hatred.
"It was something to honor her legacy and honor her memory ... and it was something for them to feel comfortable," Martinez said at a Jan. 28 county Parks and Culture Committee meeting. "And what we got in exchange was a flurry of racist emails saying that 'why should Black folks get this when white folks don’t get this?'
"She wanted me to withdraw it, and I was going to withdraw it, because I did come to the conclusion that, yes, maybe taxpayers shouldn’t be footing this bill," Martinez said.
"I just want to say shame on people for treating a grieving mother this way and making it a race thing," he added. "And treating her subhuman when it’s absolutely unnecessary and absolutely unethical, and it shows the mother the most disgusting and detestable parts of our society.”
According to a criminal complaint, Robinson went on a date April 1 with Maxwell Anderson, who was arrested weeks later and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, mutilating a corpse and arson. Parts of Robinson’s body, including an arm, her torso, a severed right leg and a foot with pink nail polish have been found scattered in the surrounding area.
Robinson's 2020 Honda Civic was found April 2 with heavy interior damage from a fire, the complaint said.
Anderson has pleaded not guilty and remains held on $5 million bail.
Milwaukee County Supervisor Felesia A. Martin criticized those who sent the racist emails.
"It's the most unfortunate that we’re at this moment in our country’s history where once again we feel very comfortable being very overt with our prejudices, with our racism and with just plain evil, hateful thoughts," she said at the meeting.
Martin acknowledged that a park is probably not the best place for the memorial, saying people may not want to go and be reminded of a tragedy.
"Even when you say that, we must use empathy and compassion,” she said.
Martin, who asked for her name to be removed as a co-sponsor of the resolution, said she hopes to discuss the "most fitting" and "most appropriate" way to honor Robinson at another time.