Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, October 7, 1993                   TAG: 9310070310
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAVID REED ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LEXINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

VMI SEEKS FBI'S HELP IN THREAT

The cadet received three short notes in the barracks beginning last week, said Maj. Gen. John Knapp, VMI superintendent.

The third note attached to the unidentified cadet's door contained racial epithets and was more explicit than the others. "It said, in fact, `We're going to get you,' " Knapp said.

Last month, a black cadet left the all-male college after he was beaten. Knapp said it was unclear whether the assault was racially motivated or related to the death threats.

"Threats to or assaults upon any cadets, whether racially motivated or not, will not, shall not, be tolerated," Knapp said in a statement to the Corps of Cadets. "With your help and with the moral certainty that we are right, we will root out this cancer."

Knapp said race relations at the school have been good since it integrated 25 years ago. Now, 7.5 percent of the 1,200 cadets are black, and 5.5 percent are members of other minority races.

One senior, or firstclassman, also defended the school's race relations.

"You're going to find prejudice everywhere you go," Kurt Nitzsche said. "But our system strips most of it away. I don't think you'll find as much here as at other places."

A lot of the corps didn't learn out about the situation until Wednesday night, he said, "but those who do know of the situation are distressed."

VMI brought in a retired FBI agent to investigate after the first threat, which contained no racial epithets, Knapp said. School officials believe only one person is involved and presume it is another cadet because of the limited access to the barracks.

If he is caught, he will be "summarily dismissed, and his name will be turned over to police," Knapp said.

The FBI was notified because it is a violation of a person's federal civil rights to be subjected to racially motivated death threats, school officials said.

Correspondent Leigh Allen contributed information to this story.