A despicable hate crime has resulted in the conviction of three white men who attacked a black man at a bus stop in downtown Houston back in August 2011. This is the first conviction of its kind in Houston, and hopefully the last. It began when four men, all shirtless cornered a man just because he was black, according to chron.com.
Charles Cannon, 26, Michael McLaughlin, 41, and Brian Kerstetter, 32, attacked Yondell Johnson while he was waiting for a bus. The four men approached him and asked for the time; when Johnson said he did not know, they started using the "N" word repeatedly while surrounding him and attacked him. One grabbed his ankles until he fell, then they all started jumping on him, and continued, even after he was unconscious. What a terrifying experience for Mr. Johnson, who had just celebrated his birthday and had visit with his daughter.
Mr. Johnson said, "I hear people in the background saying, 'Get off of him! Leave him alone!' and someone tried to help me out by trying to run over one of them with a car and everything," according to the local news. The witnesses may have saved Mr. Johnson's life with their support and quick thinking.
Prosecutors dismissed charges last month against a fourth defendant, Joseph Staggs, 49, who testified against the other three. According to court documents, three of the defendants had various white supremacist tattoos.
Thankfully, these thugs will get a harsher sentence (up to 10 years each) for the added "hate crime" charge, which is well deserved.
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Comments: 5
I think there are just some people full of hate, no matter where they live... and most people know this. I think we have moved forward from decades ago... and will continue to do so. Some people want to hate someone else... no matter if it's race, religion, weight, sexual preference etc.
Part of the problem I feel is ignorance. Back in 1986 one of my neighbors and I had a talk and I had no idea what it was like to live in America when you were black. We had the civil rights movement when I was growing up in the 60's but that was the beginning of change. I thought things were better in 1986, but it wasn't where I thought it was. When you don't "live it" you don't know. I knew how I felt, people are people... but I didn't know how far we had to go until Horace talked to me about it. Seeing things through his eyes really helped me understand how far we had to go in this country. Quite frankly I had no idea how people couldn't live where ever they wanted to... but see, I could live where ever I wanted so I thought everyone else could too. duh..
It can be easy to feel the actions of one person represent a whole group... but it's not. I really think in this country the majority of people get along. I live in Florida and I find people get along in my area.