Tag: hate crime

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Idaho Man Arrested On Hate Crime Charges After Screaming Racist/Homophobic Slurs At Church Kids

Richard Sovenski has been arrested and charged with a hate crime after accosting a church youth group in Idaho
Richard Sovenski of Idaho

File this under ‘Today in Trump Nation.’

A group of church kids from Spokane, Washington, on a field trip to Idaho were accosted by a man identified as Richard Sovenski at a McDonalds restaurant as they stopped for ice cream.

From The Inlander:

A group of high schoolers from a Spokane youth group traveled to Coeur d’Alene last Thursday to hear a guest preacher. Afterward, the group’s leader, Jose Ceniceros, took them out for ice cream at McDonald’s.

As the group was getting ready to leave Sovenski started hurling racial slurs and profanity at them, Ceniceros says. A woman, who was standing with Sovenski, later told police that the kids were “being rude, dancing and running around causing a disturbance.”

Ceniceros disputes this, and says as they approached the door to leave Sovenski sucker punched Ceniceros and threw him to the ground. Ceniceros began recording Sovenski with his cell phone once they were outside and has shared the video with the Inlander.

“Fuck you, you fucking half-breeds! Get the fuck out of Idaho!” Sovenski is shown saying on video.

“You got a fucking problem, I’m your fucking guy!” he adds. “I will fuck you up in a fucking heartbeat, you little faggot!”

At one point, one of the youth group can be heard saying, “That’s why I don’t come to Idaho,” to which Sovenski screams back, “Yeah! That’s why you don’t come to Idaho! We’re real fucking men here, you bitch!”

Here’s the video – warning: VERY strong language.

The man accompanying Sovenski, who grabs his genitals at the end of the video, is apparently Sovenski’s son.

The local NBC affiliate reports that in interviews with investigators, Sovenski’s wife says she was worried the children might have bumped into her as she’d recently undergone shoulder surgery.

For Sovenski’s part, he told investigators that he didn’t so much ‘punch’ Ceniceros as ‘pushed’ him and that the church youth leader must have “tripped over his own feet.”

Sovenski said he used the strong language to “get the upper hand” in the argument, and believing the comments would “get under their skin.”

And it’s now garnered a hate crime charge with video evidence.

Richard Sovenski (R) charged with hate crime in Idaho

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News Round-Up: July 3, 2018

(image via Instagram)

Some news stories you might have missed:

• Chippendales’ Okewa (above) celebrates his 30th trip around the sun today. I’d say ‘woof’ but we can settle for a ‘meow’ given the pic 🙂

• A 19-year-old man has been charged with a hate crime after he allegedly beat up and trapped a 50-year-old gay man in a basement apartment.

• The vice mayor of a small California town is facing recall after penning an op-ed sarcastically calling for a ‘Straight Pride’ month.

• In an interview with Andrew Denton on the Australian talk show Interview, actor Guy Pearce was asked his thoughts on working with Kevin Spacey. The actor replied: “Yeah … yeah. Tough one to talk about at the moment. Amazing actor; incredible actor. Mmm. Slightly difficult time with Kevin. He’s a handsy guy.”

• After appearing in the 2003 film School of Rock with Jack Black, then-child actor Brian Falduto was severely bullied for playing a character perceived to be gay.

• The rising cost of PrEP is keeping it out of reach for many.

• Mexico’s newly-elected president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, name checked LGBTs in his victory speech.

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News Round-Up: July 2, 2018

Some news items you might have missed:

• I’m going to try this next time Michael is wrong and starts a disagreement – InstaHunks Rick and the Griffopotamus shared this pic today with the caption, “It was one of those Monday’s where every little annoyance felt like it would blow up into an argument. We decided to just keep our mouths busy doing other things… problem solved! #relationshipHack #husbands #lovewins #kiss #mondaymotivation”

• A gay couple in Ireland was attacked and brutally beaten by a gang of four young men. One of the victims suffered broken jaw bones, lost four front teeth and has nerve damage.

• Bette Midler, of all people, was accused of homophobia when she joked on Twitter about Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin: “Trump and Putin are meeting in Finland next month. That’s a long way to travel for a blowjob, but hey — Putin’s got the money.”

• Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s former attorney and “fixer,” told ABC News that his loyalties lie with his family and country, not his former client.

• Congressional Democrats are asking the Pentagon why there was no official memo recognizing June as Pride Month nor was there any senior leadership at the annual Pride event. The concern is the lack of recognition marks a decline in LGBTQ support.

• Speaking at a rally for immigration reform this weekend, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-California) slapped back at Trump supporters calling for death threats against her:

“All I have to say is this: If you shoot me, you better shoot straight. There’s nothin’ like a wounded animal. I am not about to let this country go by the way of Donald Trump. How dare you? How dare you?”

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Denver: Gay Couple Attacked & Stabbed In Late Night Hate Crime

Christopher Huizar visits his boyfriend Gabriel Roman in the hospital after being attacked and stabbed for holding hands in public
Image via GoFundMe

A gay couple was attacked and stabbed apparently for holding hands in public in a hate crime on Saturday night in Denver, Colorado.

Christopher Giovanni Huizar, 19, and Gabriel Enrique Roman, 23, were walking to their downtown home after spending the evening at the Church Nightclub when a man screamed “fucking faggots” at the men.

Huizar says he felt a “punch” only to discover he’d been stabbed in the neck. Roman jumped in to protect his boyfriend and was stabbed in his hand.

The couple began to run from the attacker, but Roman was stabbed again, this time in the back.

After escaping the attacker, the two men collapsed against the side of a building crying and bleeding.

“I was just worried about my boyfriend because he bled so much,” said Huizar.

Eventually a pair of passersby found the couple and called for emergency services.

At the hospital, Roman’s injuries required 30 internal stitches and 52 stitches on his hand.

The men told the local NBC affiliate that the attack will only strengthen their relationship. “We are not letting his define us. We love each other and wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone else,” said Huizar.

According to Denver Police, a man has been arrested for the crime and is being held on charges of aggravated assault. Police say the attack is being investigated as a hate crime.

The couple, who will celebrate their first year together on Wednesday, have set up a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for their extensive medical bills and lost wages work.

Watch the report from NBC 9News below.

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Racist Rant On LIRR Gets Loud-Mouthed Passenger Hate Crime Charges

Edward Ruggerio (via screen capture)

The New York Daily News reports that a passenger on the Long Island Railroad who was caught on video spewing a racist, profanity-laden rant has been charged with a hate crime and could end up behind bars for the angry tirade.

Queens DA Richard Brown charged Edward Ruggerio, 58, with menacing as a hate crime for his verbal attack on a fellow passenger whome he threatened physical assault. Ruggerio will also face a count of second-degree aggravated harassment — crimes punishable by up to a year in jail and $1,000 fine.

Ruggerio claims he was upset that Orelian was talking too loudly with friends. “Shut the f–k up, you f—ing loud-mouthed monkey motherf—er,” he screamed at her. “I can’t listen to your f—ing black ass no more … You f—ing loudmouthed bitch … At least I got a f—ing mother. Do you know who your mother is? You don’t know who your mother or your father is because you’re a f—ing monkey, that’s why.”

Watch the report from the New York City ABC affiliate below.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

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Miami Beach Pride Attackers Officially Charged With Hate Crime

The four Miami Beach gay bashers

Back in April, I reported on a violent anti-LGBT attack on a gay couple that occurred in Miami Beach shortly after the city’s Pride Parade.

The couple, Dmitry Logunov and Rene Chalarca, were violently beaten by four men.

In addition, Helmut Muller Estrada, a good samaritan who jumped in trying to stop the attack, was also severely injured requiring a hospital visit.

The couple said they were targeted because of their sexual orientation.

Which brings me to today’s news as The Miami Herald is reporting the four attackers have been charged with aggravated battery committed with prejudice. That means the police now officially view the attack as a hate crime.

If convicted each of the men – Pablo Reinaldo Romo-Figueroa, 21, Luis Alonso-Piovet, 20, Juan C. Lopez, 21, and Adonis Diaz, 21 – could face up to 30 years in prison.

The attackers turned themselves in shortly after social media folks spread video and surveillance photos far and wide.

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Miami Beach Gay Bashers Surrender To Police

The four men arrested for violent post-Pride hate crime on Sunday

The Miami Beach Police Department announced this evening that the four men caught on surveillance video violently attacking two gay men after the city’s Pride Parade on Sunday afternoon have turned themselves in through an attorney.

The four men – identified as Juan C. Lopez, Adonis Diaz, Pablo Reinaldo Romo, all 21, and Luis M. Alonso, 20 – will likely face felony assault charges.

According to reports earlier today, the police were considering the attack a hate crime as at least one of the assailants used the Spanish word for “faggot” as punches were thrown.

The victims, Rene Chalarca and Dmitry Logunov, attempted to escape but were chased by the four attackers. A passerby who witnessed the attack tried to stop the men but was beaten and left bloody himself with several cuts and bruises needing medical attention.

Unfortunately, with the news of the arrests also comes disturbing reports about the anti-gay attitude of the Miami Beach Police officers who answered the call.

From South Florida Gay News:

At one point a female officer told Logunov to “stop the drama, shut the fuck up.” Another officer repeated that to him a few minutes later. One of the officers also told him to “put ice on your face at home and you’ll be alright.”

“This is a terrible crime, as such, we are dedicating our full efforts to capturing the attackers. The Miami Beach Police Department prides itself on its inclusion of everyone,” a spokesperson for the Miami Beach Police Department said. “If anyone feels mistreated by any of our officers, they are encouraged to contact MBPD’s Internal Affairs unit so that any complaint can be addressed immediately.”

Miami Beach City Commissioner Michael Gongora also weighed in saying “I am disturbed by this and have sent to the Police Chief for investigation. Being Miami Beach’s first and only openly gay commissioner it’s important to me that our community be safe and treated well – especially during Gay Pride.”

Later after an ambulance arrived the paramedics treated the couple at the scene and also told them they’d be OK and to just go home, put ice on their faces, or they could pay $800 and go to the hospital.

The paramedics, though, were wrong.

Later the couple decided to go to the hospital on their own, where it was discovered Chalarca had a broken tear duct and was told to try not to cry or get emotional. He may need surgery.

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Miami Beach: Two Gay Men Violently Attacked In Hate Crime After Pride Parade

Surveillance photo of hate crime attackers
Click image to enlarge

Two gay men were the victims of a violent hate crime on Sunday evening in Miami Beach following the city’s Pride Parade.

From The Miami Herald:

In video footage of the incident, four young men — one wearing a Florida International University T-shirt — are seen walking up to a bathroom area on Ocean Drive and Sixth Street at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday. Two other men walk out, and are immediately attacked by the four. One of the attackers shouts a Spanish slur used to refer to LGBT men before he and the other attackers begin repeatedly punching the two men.

When the two victims, who sustained multiple injuries to their faces, began to run away, the attackers chased them, Miami Beach police said.

One of the victims told NBC 6 News that he and his partner were holding hands when they were attacked.

“For me, the way we were dressed and everything and we were together, for me it was like, yes, it was a hate crime,” he said.

Police are asking for help to identify the men involved in the attack. Three are described as Hispanic white males, each about 5 foot 8, and between the ages of 19 and 24. Anyone with information should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

A bystander, 29-year-old Helmut Muller, tried to intervene and stop the attack but the attackers turned on him knocking him out cold. Muller woke up in a pool of his own blood and eventually spent six hours at the hospital getting staples in his head to stop the bleeding.

The attackers now face felony battery charges. As mentioned above, if anyone has any info that could lead to the arrest of the men, please call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.

You can see surveillance footage of the attack in the two local news reports below.

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Puerto Vallarta: Gay Man Shot While Holding His Husband’s Hand In Public

(image via Facebook)

A Palm Springs couple vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, were the victims of a shooting incident in early morning hours early Saturday. The couple say the attack was a hate crime because they were holding hands.

From The Desert Sun:

At about 2:30 a.m., at the end of a night of dancing, Carl Blea and Marc Lange were holding hands and walking to the condo where they were staying, Lange said. As they passed through a plaza, a man standing nearby yelled something at them. Blea then noticed the man pull out a gun and tried to get himself and Lange to safety.

Lange, speaking by phone from a Puerto Vallarta hospital Sunday morning, said a bullet struck Blea below his right buttock and exited through his thigh. He said if Blea hadn’t seen the gun and reacted so quickly, both of them might be dead.

The men believe the shooting was a targeted hate crime because they’re gay. Lange called it “a random act of hatred.” He said he’s told police what happened multiple times.

According to Lange, the local media is reporting the incident as a botched robbery but he disputes that claim saying they never spoke to the man that shot them.

He believes the media is trying to downplay the shooting in an effort to protect tourism in the Mexican city.

In a post on Facebook, Lange added:

I post this only because there has been no local press or alerts made to the puerto Vallarta area.

Last night we were involved in nothing more than a hate crime.

Last night my husband and I were walking home hand in hand from an evening out in puerto Vallarta. As we cross the street walking into a well lite area, Cardenas Lazaro park, we pass a white car and a person who looked like he had done hard time in prison, wife beater and tattoos both face and body (circle tattoo on right side of face). As we walk pass him he shouts something. I turn to look and then turn away, Carl Blea looks and see this person pull out a gun which is now pointed at us. Carl begins to run and pulls me away from the shooter. A bullet is shot and Carl goes down. Shot. We have no idea what is happening. A concrete building separates us from the shooter. I scream for help….. someone finally helps, police arrive, 45 min later the ambulance arrives.

This person was there for no other reason than to kill innocent people. We happened to be his target. There is nothing in the local newspaper or news warning people of this incident.

As readers of The Randy Report know, hubby Michael and I often vacation in Puerto Vallarta. While I’ve never seen any violence during my travels there, I’m also aware that as a gay man in a country who’s views on LGBT rights and protections are iffy, I don’t hold Michael’s hand in public.

(h/t Towleroad)

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Four Texas Men Plead Guilty To Hate Crimes After Targeting Gay Men For Home Invasions Via Grindr

Chancler Encalade

Four Texas men have pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges after using Grindr to target gay men for home invasions.

From the Dallas NBC affiliate:

A 20-year-old man pleaded guilty on Monday to federal charges that he targeted gay men through a dating app in a series of Collin and Denton County home invasions earlier this year.

Chancler Encalade, along with three other men, used Grindr, a dating app for gay men, to arrange meetings with victims at their homes in Frisco, Plano and Aubrey, according to a Department of Justice news release.

The four men restrained their victims with tape, assaulted them, made derogatory statement about their sexual orientation and stole various property, according to the Justice Department. The crimes took place in January and February.

The other men involved, Nigel Garrett, Anthony Shelton and Cameron Ajiduah, have also pleaded guilty to federal charges and are awaiting sentencing.

Encalade faces a maximum life sentence and a $250,000 fine.

Additional info from the Department of Justice:

According to the plea agreement, Encalade admitted that he, Nigel Garrett, and Anthony Shelton used Grindr, a social media dating platform for gay men, to arrange to meet the victim at the victim’s home. Upon entering the victim’s home, the defendants restrained the victim with tape, physically assaulted the victim, and made derogatory statements to the victim for being gay. The defendants brandished a firearm during the home invasion, and they stole the victim’s property, including his motor vehicle.

A federal grand jury previously had returned an eighteen-count superseding indictment, against Encalade and three other men, which included charges for hate crimes, kidnappings, carjackings, and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes. The indictment also charged the defendants with conspiring to cause bodily injury because of the victims’ sexual orientation