Man Who Reportedly Used ‘KKK’ Knife Facing Trial for Attempted Murder
John Steven Chynoweth, 21, of 418 Rebecca St., Jasper, was charged in March 2012 by the Dalton Police Department with aggravated assault-other weapon and criminal attempt to commit a felony. A Whitfield County grand jury later indicted him on the upgraded charge of attempted murder. He remains in the Whitfield County jail without bond.
On Monday, a tentative trial date was set for Aug. 12 in Judge William T. Boyett’s courtroom, but first, Chynoweth is undergoing a psychological evaluation.
According to police reports detailing interviews with several witnesses, Chynoweth, who is white, was involved in a verbal and physical altercation with a coworker who has a Hispanic last name and who Chynoweth referred to as a “n——-.”
Chynoweth later admitted to police he stabbed the man, Kenny Rosales of Dalton, in the throat with a knife that had the words “Ku Klux Klan” on it and also had a picture of four Klansmen in full Klan dress. Several witnesses told police they saw Rosales running away from Chynoweth and that Chynoweth had voiced concern about Hispanics planning to “gang up on him.” Attempts to reach Rosales were unsuccessful.
Police department spokesman Bruce Frazier said it’s easy to obtain material with KKK symbols on the Internet and that the department hasn’t had any reports of organized KKK activity in Dalton.
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