National Coalition of Anti-Violence ProgramsPage 52
Bias‐Motivated
Assault
11/21/2007
Washington
D.C.
OnNov.24,detectiveswiththeD.C.PoliceDepartment’s
chargedTyrrellJefferson,23,withassaultwithintenttokill
agayman.Theattackerstabbedthemanmultipletimes,
slashinghisjugularvein.Apoliceaffidavitinsupportof
Jefferson’sarreststatesthatthevictimmadea“miraculous”
recoveryatthehospital.Thevictimprovidedpolicewitha
digitalphotoofJeffersonfromhiscellphone.Thevictim
hadbeenanacquaintanceoftheoffenderfor6years.He
toldinvestigatorshepickedJeffersonuponthenightbefore
theattackanddrovehimtohisapartmentafterJefferson
expressedaninterestinseeinghim.“Thecomplainantsaid
thatthetwoofthemhadsexandthathefellasleep,”the
affidavitsays.“Whilesleeping,thecomplainantsaidthatfor
noapparentreason,Jeffersonattackedhimwithaknife.”
ThevictimtoldpoliceJeffersonstabbedhimrepeatedlyin
thehead,faceandneckandthatJeffersonretrievedasecond
knifefromthekitchenafterthefirstknifeheusedbroke.
TheaffidavitsaysJeffersonfledtheapartmentafterthe
victimranoutsidetheapartmentintothehallwayand
screamedforhelp,promptingneighborsinnearby
apartmentstocallpolice.
“Uponarrivingonthescene,officerslocatedhimonthe
floorinhis6thfloorhallway,sufferingfrommultiple
lacerationstohisface,head,andneck.ʺItsaysJefferson
droveawayfromthesceneinthevictimʹscar,whichpolice
foundashorttimelaterandwereabletolocateJefferson
throughawitness.
Bias‐Motivated
Assault
9/22/2007
Farmington,
NM
TheDAʹsOfficerecentlyfilednoticesinthecasesagainst
ScottThompson,21,JerryPaul,40,andCraigYazzie,37,
statingitwillseekthehatecrimesentencingenhancement
forchargesinitiallyfiledinOctober.ʺItwasagay‐bashing
kindofdeal—thatʹsthewayitreadstome,ʺDeputyDA
BrentCapshawsaid.ʺIʹvegotallthreeofthemmaking[anti‐
gay]commentstothepolice.ʺ
OnSept.22,thevictimreportedtoFarmingtonPolicehe
waswalkingthroughanalleyandwascalledoverby
severalmen,whostartedhittinghimwhileyelling
derogatorystatements.Whenhefell,themenbegantokick
himsaying,ʺYouwanttodie,faggot?ʺthepolicereport
states.Thevictimwasthenpulledintothemenʹshotel
room,wheretheycontinuedtopunchandkickhimbefore
heescaped.Ifconvictedofthechargesasahatecrime,the
suspectscouldeachface14yearsinprison.
TheNewMexicoHateCrimesAct,isoneof32statesthat
protectssexualorientationinitshatecrimelaws.