3 Evanston (Ill.) men charged with anti-gay hate crimes after Red Line attack

[marmar]

from the Chicago Tribune:



3 men charged with hate crimes after Red Line attack
February 24, 2010 6:20 PM |


Three Evanston men face felony hate crime and aggravated battery charges after they allegedly pushed and punched a man and hurled sexual slurs at him when he tried to stop them from bullying another commuter on a CTA Red Line train last month.

Kevin McAndrew and Benjamin Eder, both 23, and Sean Little, 21, were originally charged with misdemeanor battery for the Jan. 10 attack, but prosecutors dropped those charges and had the men re-arrested on felony charges after they appeared in misdemeanor court Tuesday.

"No one should have to endure the pain and humiliation of a hate crime, which is a truly repugnant act,'' Cook County State's Atty. Anita Alvarez said in a statement. "The damage of a crime such as this goes well beyond the original victim and permeates the entire community."

The Evanston men appeared today in Central Bond Court, where Assistant State's Atty. Erin Antonietti said they were harassing a man on the train, calling him anti-gay slurs when the other commuter intervened.

Little called the commuter a gay slur as well and punched him in the face, Antonietti said. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/02/3-evanston-man-charged-with-hate-crimes-after-red-line-attack.html

[saltpoint]

1. It looks to me from this story that the first man the three attacked had

the audacity to ride in a train car on public transportation. Which is to say, there appears to be no context whatsoever that would justify his being harassed, and then evidently the rescuer-commuter was assaulted for having the audacity to insist that the first victim be left in peace to ride the train.

Let a courtroom ask these three assailants why their selfish violence is more important than others' public safety. Let this be covered by the damn media. And let the public, young and old, hear the proceedings.

As usual, marmar, great post.

[ThomCat]

2. The judge wanted to drop the hate crime charges

because he doesn't think the state can prove the crime was motivated by hate?

The were harassing someone with anti-gay slurs. But that doesn't mean they hate gay people?

When the second guy intervened they shouted anti-gay slurs at him too, but that doesn't mean they hate gay people either?

When they got his blood on him, they asked him if he had AIDS, because apparently they think that all gay people have AIDS. But thinking that all gay people have AIDS doesn't mean they hate gay people?

:wtf:

If these three get off, what does that mean about the effectiveness of hate crime laws? What the hell would it take to get convicted of a hate crime if such blatant gay bashing can't?

[CurtEastPoint]

3. And just look where these 3 shining angels work:

Coyne said his client lives in Evanston and is currently volunteering at a school where he tutors children.

Attorney Robert Gevirtz said his client, Sean Little, is a junior at Loyola University and currently works at the YMCA Childrens Center in Evanston.

Eder is currently volunteering at a charity while he looks for work, said attorney Mark Erhlich.