Vicious crimes such as those committed against James Byrd in Texas and Matthew Shepard in Wyoming brought the debate over hate crimes legislation onto the national stage. Should the penalty for a crime be harsher when the act was motivated by a certain characteristic of the victim? If so, which groups of people should receive legal protection from crimes borne of hate? One man in
Pichardo Dearmas was charged over the weekend with assault with prejudice. As Dearmas was riding his bicycle in
While Florida law covers "prejudice based on the race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, mental or physical disability, or advanced age of the victim,” the state’s hate-crime laws were first put in place in 1989 following a series of synagogue vandalisms. Since then, the legislation had come into play with issues of underground high school publications, Eucharist smuggling and the beating of a homeless man.
If you have been accused of a hate crime and need solid, aggressive representation, Bertolino LLP has attorneys with experience in criminal defense who are ready to help you. Please contact us and let’s discuss the details of your case.
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