Yearly Archives: 2017

/2017

by Matt Apuzzo, 10/15/2017  "The Justice Department has dispatched an experienced federal hate crimes lawyer to Iowa to help prosecute a man charged with murdering a transgender high school student last year, a highly unusual move that officials said was personally initiated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In taking the step, Mr. Sessions, a staunch

Disabled children hate crime reports increasing

by Patrick Kiteley and Ben Robinson "Reported hate crimes against disabled children are rising, a BBC investigation has discovered. Figures from police forces across the UK show there were 450 incidents reported last year, up from 181 in 2014-15, 5 live Investigates found. Families with disabled children described being targeted online and verbally abused in

Five Arrested in Georgia in ‘Heinous’ 1983 Killing of Black Man

by Matt Stevens and Jacey Fortin, 10/15/2017 " The authorities in Georgia have reopened a cold case and arrested five people — including two law enforcement officials — in connection with what the local sheriff said was a brutal, racially motivated murder of a black man 34 years ago. The arrests were made on Friday,

Hate crime victims and witnesses urged to tackle ‘blight’

by BBC News, 10/13/2017 "Hate has no home in Scotland" aims to increase public understanding of what hate crime is, and how to report it. The new drive is backed by the Scottish government, Police Scotland and the Crown Office (COPFS). More than 5,300 cases of hate crime were reported in Scotland over the past

18-Year-Old Charged With Hate Crime for High School Graffiti

by AP, 10/17/2017 "A recent graduate of a Vermont high school is charged with a hate crime after being accused of spray-painting an athletic field with a racial slur directed at a classmate who pushed the school to drop its "Rebels" nickname. The Burlington Free Press reports that 18-year-old Tyler Austin faces a charge of disorderly conduct

Hate crimes, bias incidents increase in Seattle, police say

by Evan Bush, 9/12/2017 " Reports of hate crimes have continued their steady rise in Seattle, according to a tally of bias incidents through the first six months of this year from Seattle police. During that period, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) counted 178 reports of bias incidents, including 62 of malicious harassment. That compares

Hate crime charges for shocking black man with stun cane

by AP, 9/15/2017 "Federal prosecutors in Utah said Friday that 58-year-old Mark Porter faces up to 10 years in prison on the civil rights charge. Authorities say on Nov. 3 in Draper, Porter yelled a racial slur at the 7-year-old boy and told him to "get out of here." When the father told Porter not to yell at his

Black Cornell University student’s beating investigated as hate crime

by Julie McMahon, 9/18/2017 "Ithaca police are investigating a possible hate crime after a fight this weekend hospitalized a black Cornell University student. The Cornell Daily Sun reports that a student has been arrested and charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, following the fight in Ithaca's Collegetown neighborhood. The Daily Sun spoke with the victim, who

Push for hate crimes law after ugly incident in North Dakota

by AP, 9/17/2017 "It was one of the uglier incidents in recent memory in North Dakota’s largest city, Fargo: A white woman was captured on cellphone video shouting “We’re going to kill all of you” at three Somali women in a Walmart parking lot. After the video was posted online and was widely viewed, the

“Shut up, Slave!” Fight outside Loop Starbucks leads to felony hate-crime charges

by Amy Wang, 9/14/2017\ "Felony hate crime charges have been filed against a man who was caught on video unleashing a racist tirade and turning violent outside a Chicago Starbucks three months ago, officials said. William Boucher, 24, was originally charged with misdemeanor battery June 6 after he "became irate" when someone spilled a drink