Rights Suit Is Filed Over Maryland Arsons

By THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: November 3, 2005

BALTIMORE, Nov. 2 - Lawyers representing 32 homeowners in a southern Maryland subdivision heavily damaged by arsons last December filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday, asserting that the fires were racially motivated and violated the homeowners' civil rights.

The Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, a nonprofit group, and a Washington law firm filed the suit on behalf of the homeowners against five young white men accused of setting the Dec. 6 fires and a security firm that employed one of the men.