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Loading ...Arrest in NYC homophobic beating
08.20.2008 5:11pm EDT
(New York City) A New York man is facing hate crime charges following an attack on a 27-year old gay Staten Island man.
The victim, whose name is being withheld by police, was beaten by a man wielding an unidentified object on July 29.“We don’t like faggots on Barker Street,” the man is alleged to have told the victim, according to court documents filed by prosecutors.
The man suffered bruises and cuts to his face and head, back and stomach.
Police arrested James Champagne, 24, earlier this week night, police said.
He is charged with third-degree assault as a hate crime, a felony, and second-degree aggravated harassment, a misdemeanor.
If convicted, Champagne could face up to four years in prison. Without the hate charge, a conviction would bring as little as a slap on the wrist.
Neighbors of the victim expressed shock at the attack.
The Rev. Terry Troia, executive director of Project Hospitality and a member of the borough president’s Anti-Bias Task Force, told The Staten Island Advance that anti-gay crimes often go unreported.
“This is really a crime against all of us,” she told the paper.
With a name like “Champagne” that’s kind of Hypocritical in itself to call anyone a homophobic name.
I am glad the police are taking this approach on a zero tolerance to any sort off hate crime, but here’s the rub, if this happened in deepest darkest Arkansas would the result be the same?? probably not .
But this guy deserves to be sent to jail, and the judge must make a example of him to make sure that this sort of crime is not tolerated, now that’s sending out all the right messages
Hate crime laws came into being because liberal “lawmakers” and judges allow criminals to get off lightly. If this crime occurred in Texas, Champagne would deservedly serve years w/o a hate crimes law.
if this crime occured in Texas, he would have been elected Gov.
More gays need to report these crimes and push the DA to seek the highest penality.
hate crimes of any kind need to be punished to the full extent of the law. people need to open their eyes and be aware they’re literally hurting a person, a human being. hate crimes are shameful acts of insecurity. hope the law has a higher level of awareness and consciousness and puts anyone in prison for hate crimes of any kind.