his top officials were behind and promoted the killing. >> some of the conspirators were high-ranking officers in the united klan. in fact, benny hayes was the second or third highest-ranking klansman in that organization in the state at the time of the murder. >> benny, he gave the orders. he manipulated these young people. >> tiger knowles was 17 years old at the time. benny hayes was just as culpable and should have been held just as accountable. >> and all of that together went to show the pattern of violence that this group had encouraged around the time that the michael donald lynching took place .