High school student arraigned on ethnic intimidation charge

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP (AP) -- A black, 18-year-old senior accused of writing graffiti threatening black students at his high school has been put on a curfew and ordered to have no contact with the school. Courtney Thomas was arraigned Wednesday in Oakland County 48th District Court on one count of ethnic intimidation. He is free on bond, but ordered to be home no later than 7 p.m. daily, have no contact with students threatened by the graffiti and to stay away from Birmingham's Seaholm High School. He is suspended from the 1,250-student school. The graffiti appeared April 20. A letter with derogatory language was found the next day in a teacher's mailbox. Defense attorney Wendy Barnwell says Thomas has been the victim of bullying at the school. Published: Fri, May 20, 2011