Man Pleads Not Guilty to Branding Swastika Into Mentally Disabled Victim’s Arm
- Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:31pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man pleaded not guilty Monday to federal hate-crime charges in the case of a mentally disabled Navajo man who had a swastika branded on his arm with a hot metal clothes hanger.
William Hatch, 29, of Fruitland and two other defendants are the first to be prosecuted by the federal government under a historic 2009 law targeting hate crimes involving sexual orientation.
Hatch entered the plea during his initial appearance at the federal courthouse.
Paul Beebe, 26, and Jesse Sanford, 25, both of Farmington, also appeared but had no attorneys and didn’t enter pleas. U.S. Magistrate Robert Scott indicated he would have lawyers appointed to represent both men then scheduled their arraignments for Tuesday.
All three defendants wore orange inmate jumpsuits, with their hands and feet shackled.
Along with the branding in April, the three men are accused of shaving a swastika onto the back of the 22-year-old victim’s head and using markers to write “KKK” and “White Power” on him.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Ortega said the case is the first in the nation to be pursued by the Justice Department under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
The law was named after two men who were brutally murdered in 1998 in Wyoming and Texas. The statute expanded a 1969 federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s gender, gender identity and sexual orientation.
Indictments in the case were handed down on Nov. 12.
The case isn’t without local controversy. Police in Farmington had to undergo mandatory training when they treated the mentally disabled victim as if he were drunk when first responding to the incident.
Hatch, Beebe and Sanford also face state charges of kidnapping, aggravated battery and conspiracy. The federal and state cases will run simultaneously, and federal prosecutors plan to work closely with the district attorney’s office in Farmington.
If convicted of the hate crime statute, each defendant could face prison terms of up to 10 years. The possible sentence could increase to life if prosecutors prove kidnapping occurred.
Each also faces a conspiracy charge, which carries a possible five-year prison sentence upon conviction.
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Comments (50)
cogito ergo sum
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 6:04pmWhy mention the expansion of the hate crime law if it was not part of this case. Regardless of those changes to the law would this have still been prosecuted as a hate crime! While I appreciate the mention of expanding laws, how is it relevant to this particular case? Attack the expansion of government without using this poor as a prop.
Hope those two get as much time as the law allows. Maybe they will truly understand what they have done by disparaging this man, then again I maybe hoping for quite much seeing they are depraved enough to do this!
Cogito Ergo Sum
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 6:04pmnot funny, asshat!
Report Post »eteme
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:37pmPaul and Jesse have serious issues and should go to lock up for a time…This poor man should have help in getting these “brandings” removed ASAP…
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:43pmWith what a skin graft? He’d have to tattoo over it, perhaps a peaceful Indian symbol to counteract the hatred this symbol personifies now.
Report Post »eteme
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 9:36pmSkin graft is a start..have you ever had a “branding” have you ever had something forced onto your skin that you did not want nor consented too? Indian laser brandings will not counter act these symbols as these symbols originated from Indian culture to begin with…
This poor man is now literally scarred for life and will have the painful reminder of something he perhaps didn’t know was so wrong to begin with..
Report Post »Sledgehammer
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:26pmSean, I will assume this was meat as sarcassim, it is in no way funny! What happened to this man at the hands of these anti social morons, is pure evil.
Report Post »MissCherryJones
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:10pmStill not funny. You ought to be ashamed.
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:06pmseriously, no place for that
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:05pmdone with you
Report Post »HippoNips
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:35pmAhh I get it now after researching a bit.
The “disabled” man is on video consenting to the branding. …the authorities claim the tricked the man into consenting but I’m not buying it.
They also shaved a swastika in the back of his head, rather neatly. which would be impossible if he resisted at all.
Furthermore, one of the defendants is the same race as the “victim” which isn’t white. None are gay.
“Hate” crime laws are stupid. People should be sentence for the CRIME that they do, not what intent the state can label the crime with.
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:28pmWell SEANPATRIOT – I guess your comments says it all!! Why am I not surprised!
Report Post »http://maboulette.wordpress.com
HippoNips
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:21pmThere is no such thing as any reasonable law that prohibits hate of certain people
Report Post »All violent crime is hateful.
Any law singling out any group as more protected should be challenged in court.
cotuit
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:08pmWhat would you do with the power you seek?
Report Post »Would you use it to help this poor person heal?
Elura cookoo girl
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:08pmthis is absolutely terrible. who could do such a hideous crime
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:56pmGet rid of this. It doesn’t apply here.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:55pmThis was a hate crime. I hope they get full justice… scratch that,,,I hope they get punished accordingly.
Report Post »M31Sailor
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:51pmThe swastika was used by the Hopi Indians, and the Navajo Indians. It was used in healing rituals. The KKK and “White Power ” give away these racist criminals views. Jail them
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:13pmThis is true! I forgot about that. I saw the swastika on a prayer blanket and it threw me at first, kind of made me sick and then confused because it was an old blanket, way before WWll. Why the Nazi’s highjacked an American indian symbol, I don’t know, do you?
Maybe knowing the WHY would be advantageous, but still, the symbol’s highjacked, it only means one thing now…
Report Post »MissCherryJones
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:16pmYes, and it was also a symbol in India. However, the National Socialist Party took that symbol and distorted it so much that very few people know it’s true meaning. I highly doubt a couple of idiots tormenting a mentally disabled fellow knew the real meaning behind the symbol. I know that the Hopi lands are near that area (Arizona-ish) but…. highly unlikely.
Report Post »Even if the man “consented” (as is said by HIPPONIPS in a later post), this is still a disturbing act.
roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:33pmDid HIPPONIPS say what the other disturbing symbols they drew on his body are? (Besides the shaved head)… I’m really trying to grasp that this guy is going to have a swastika on his forearm for life- and if he didn’t want it what can he do to change it into something else. Even if he didn’t fight back, depending on how mentally challenged he is, he may have thought these assailants as friends, he didn’t deserve this.
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:39pmoh I saw hipponips now, no report on what the other symbols were…
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:48pmThese people, all they live for is validation that they are somehow superior. That artificial path goes no where.
Report Post »danieljersey
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 4:14pmAgreed. There is a great book by Jean Paul Satre, Anti-Semite and the Jew, which discusses how racism (in the book French anti-semitism) is at its core rooted in insecurity. The insecure need to believe that their group is superior because that would mean there was something special about them even if they have done nothing with their life. Further, by demonizing another group they can excuse their own failures or justify vile behavior.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:46pmplease do not post crap like this you should know better
Report Post »LadyIzShy
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:44pmGRRRRR.. why wuld anyone do this to someone.. no words to say how mad this makes me
Report Post »grandmaof5
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:37pmJust plain mean! Maybe they will meat (’scuse, I mean meet) a friend in prison and learn the true meaning of “hate crime”.
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:43pmMaybe they should get the full nazi treatment as punishment.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:42pmMust have been a Tea Partier? Because the liberals are so smart they keep saying the Tea Partiers are Nazis… which is weird, because Tea Partiers want smaller government, less spending and more freedom for citizens. Were those the things Nazis supported? CONFUSED!
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:42pmIf true, this is disgusting, ruthless behavior worthy of punishment. But I am sick of hate crime legislation. Punish them for WHAT and leave the WHY out of it.
Report Post »cubber
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:46pmVery good observation. ALL crime has some hate in it.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:47pmAgreed.
Report Post »cogito ergo sum
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:57pm@OZ
While there are unnecessary things, WHY is very necessary. If it came to light that I killed someone, WHY makes the difference if I get no jail time, some jail time, or never see the light of day again. Why is very important in every case where it is possible for that question to be answered.
Report Post »seanpatriot
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:39pmHot shower !!!
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:35pmyou need a cold shower. and report yourself to have this removed.
Report Post »seanpatriot
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:39pmstill joking
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:21pmstill not funny
Report Post »cubber
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:37pmHis home city tells it all.
Report Post »seanpatriot
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:35pmFirst
Report Post »cubber
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:39pmThe guys home city tells it all.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:47pmBranding someone with a white hot cloth hanger shaped into an german swastika, and for some reason it is not suppose to be a hate crime by the instigator? If this is true, based on the facts and judged by the law, then let him be sentenced accordingly.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
Report Post »sportlock
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 3:50pmLet us all be happy this didn’t happen to a white man. If so, nobody at the justice department would be interested in prosecuting these dipshyts
Report Post »roseofsharon
Posted on November 22, 2010 at 5:04pmso you are :)
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