Reacting to Delray Pride vandalism, new push to expand hate crime law - WPEC
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — After video showed a man vandalizing a rainbow Pride intersection in Delray Beach, prosecutors wanted to charge the suspect with a hate crime.
But State Attorney Dave Aronberg says a "loophole" in state law prevented it. Now two lawmakers from south Palm Beach County are trying to close it.
State Rep. Emily Slosberg and Senator Tina Polsky, both Democrats from Boca Raton, are sponsoring legislation to change the definition of a victim in a hate crime.
In the Delray intersection case, Aronberg said he could not charge Alexander Jerich with a hate crime because the property was publicly owned, and the city of Delray Beach cannot be considered a victim under current state law.
"If a private owner had owned the streetscape, we could have charged it as a hate crime," Aronberg said. "But because it's public ownership, we could not. and that's the loophole."
Rep. Slosberg says the new legislation would allow state and local governments to be considered victims, expanding the kind of crimes that can be prosecuted.
"Especially in times of division we need to further unity and acceptance in our community. we need to deter crimes particularly ones that show bias," Slosberg told CBS12 News.
Jerich was charged with a traffic crime and vandalism of property over $1,000. His trial is scheduled for February.
His attorney, Robert Pasch, told CBS12 News: “From Alex’s point of view, he has expressed remorse for any actions that caused pain to the community. From our point of view he is working on learning from the experience. We are hoping to engage in dialogue with the LGBTQ community.”
CBS12 News has learned of a second incident in Delray Beach this year that could fall into the definition of a hate crime, should this new law be passed. Police confirmed the city's menorah was vandalized last week.
source: https://cbs12.com/news/local/reacting-to-delray-pride-vandalism-new-push-to-expand-hate-crime-law
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