Attorneys representing Payton Gendron, the perpetrator of the Buffalo supermarket shooting, have moved to dismiss the federal charges against him, citing a lack of minority representation on the grand jury. They claim that the grand jury that indicted Gendron did not accurately reflect the demographic makeup of the community. Judge Vilardo, while noting the irony of the claim in a hate crimes case, did not immediately rule on the motion. The prosecution maintains that any disparities were within acceptable guidelines and not a systematic exclusion, while the defense argues the opposite.
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Elias Rodriguez has been indicted on federal hate crimes charges, including a hate crime resulting in death, for the shooting of two Israeli Embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington. The indictment includes special findings that could allow the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty. Rodriguez was allegedly heard shouting “Free Palestine” and stated he acted in solidarity with Gaza after the shooting, which prosecutors describe as a calculated and planned act. He had previously been charged with murder of foreign officials, and the hate crime charges were added after the case was brought to a grand jury.
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Life in the City church in south Austin was vandalized on Friday, with someone spray-painting hateful messages and tearing down a Pride flag. According to the church, this is not the first incident of its kind, and it comes amid a backdrop of rising violence targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals and other marginalized communities. The church, a United Methodist congregation known for its progressive and inclusive stance, hosted a community event on Saturday to address the vandalism. Authorities have been contacted for more information regarding the incident.
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Joseph Czuba, the landlord convicted of murdering a Palestinian American child and attempting to murder his mother, has died while in custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections. Czuba, sentenced to 53 years in prison three months prior, was found guilty of hate-crime charges and targeting the victims due to their Islamic faith and in response to the Israel-Hamas war. The attack, which occurred in October 2023, involved Czuba stabbing the child multiple times and was preceded by the mother’s testimony. This tragedy has stirred great concern in the Palestinian community.
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On July 19th, an Indian man in his 40s was attacked and stripped by a group of individuals in Dublin, Ireland. The attackers falsely accused the man of inappropriate behavior around children, a claim that was amplified online by anti-immigrant accounts, but rejected by Garda. The man was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries, and discharged the following day. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, with reports indicating that some of the attackers have previously targeted foreigners.
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Following reports of tensions between pro-Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli tourists, a group of Israeli teenagers were attacked on the Greek island of Rhodes after leaving a nightclub. According to the victims, some of the teens were physically assaulted while one of the attackers filmed the encounter. The incident began when a man approached the group and then called over a large number of people. The teenagers scattered to hide as they were chased by the attackers, with local police later escorting them back to their apartment.
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In the late hours of Sunday night, near the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, two teenage girls were shot, with one sustaining a critical head wound and the other a leg wound. The NYPD is currently investigating the incident, which occurred as NYC Pride celebrations concluded, to determine if it was a hate crime. Mayor Eric Adams expressed sadness over the shooting, emphasizing its devastating nature during a time of celebration for the LGBTQ+ community. The Christopher Street Project and a bystander also expressed their sadness and concern.
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A Memorial Day fishing trip on Lake Shirley in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, for Sheron Brown and his daughter turned violent when David McPartlan allegedly threw rocks and shouted racial slurs at them. McPartlan claimed the pair were fishing too close to his dock, but Brown insists they were in a designated no-wake zone for safety. Police have charged McPartlan with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault to intimidate, citing his racial slurs and the assault on Brown and his child. Despite the traumatic event, Brown intends to teach his daughter the importance of standing up to bullies and confronting racism.
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Following a brutal attack on Kady Grass at a Carpentersville McDonald’s, Kane County prosecutors are reviewing the possibility of adding hate crime charges to the existing aggravated battery charges against 19-year-old John Kammrad and a 17-year-old accomplice. Grass, who suffered a broken nose and other injuries, alleges the attack stemmed from her sexual orientation, with the assailants using anti-gay slurs before assaulting her. State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser affirmed a commitment to a thorough investigation and ensuring accountability for the perpetrators.
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Memphis, TN will experience a mix of rain showers and sunshine today, with a high of 81°F and northerly winds. Tonight, skies will transition from cloudy to partly cloudy, with a low of 60°F and continued northerly winds. The chance of rain today is 50%.
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John Q. Hosedrinker