A Couple Racists will now Pay for their Crimes

[Cigar]

Does seem counterproductive.

Really ... we've been reading about these counterproductive actions for years, without any consequences, and it never bother anyone before.

Why now? I just want to play the game by everyone's rules

[Chris]

She'll be just fine ... She can drive the Vette without asking.

Odd concession.

[Cletus]

The "hate crimes" aspect of it is stupid. Just the fact that they threatened people with a firearm is sufficient to put them away and should put them away.

"Hate crimes" laws just need to go away.

[resister]

Really ... we've been reading about these counterproductive actions for years, without any consequences, and it never bother anyone before.

Why now? I just want to play the game by everyone's rules

My point was, I would think you would want to stay out of prison, if at all possible for your wifes sake. I sure do.

[nic34]

Trump should issue a travel ban for those living in Douglas county, Ga.

[Chris]

Trump should issue a travel ban for those living in Douglas county, Ga.

But you'd criticize him for it.

[Cthulhu]

Permanently banished? Can the judge do that?

I wondered about that well. Me thinks of it were challenged it wouldn't hold up in court.

Fear profits a man nothing.

[MisterVeritis]

As the defendants wept, a Douglas County judge on Monday sentenced two people to lengthy prison terms for their part in disrupting an African-American birthday party with Confederate flags, racial slurs and armed threats in 2015.

Superior Court Judge William McClain castigated the two, Kayla Rae Norton, 25, and Jose Ismael Torres, 26, for perpetrating what he called a hate crime.

He sentenced Torres to 20 years, with 13 to serve in prison. Norton was given 15 years, with six to serve. Upon their release, McClain ordered them to be permanently banished from Douglas County.

Douglas Assistant District Attorney David Emadi detailed how the group had gone on a drunken rampage through Douglas and Paulding counties on July 24 and July 25, 2015, in pickup trucks laden with Confederate battle flags.

Emadi said the group threatened black motorists, yelled at them and walked up to one of their cars with a gun. They also threatened African-American shoppers at a Paulding County Wal-Mart and at a convenience store.

“Many good people in Paulding County saw you for what you are,” McClain said before he handed down the sentences. “Everywhere you went, 911 call centers were flooded with calls.”

“Their actions were motivated by racial hatred,” said McClain.

​A Douglas County judge on Monday sentenced Jose I. Torres (left) and Kayla Rae Norton to lengthy prison terms for their part in disrupting an African-American birthday party with Confederate flags, racial slurs and armed threats in 2015. Credit: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office

This sentence is a hate crime. Nothing more. I hope this will be the beginning of the end for punishing people for their thoughts. It is un-American. To confirm my view see who supports hate crime punishments.

[FindersKeepers]

The "hate crimes" aspect of it is stupid. Just the fact that they threatened people with a firearm is sufficient to put them away and should put them away.

"Hate crimes" laws just need to go away.

I agree.

It makes sense to punish them for their actions -- but not their thoughts.

They deserve to be sent away for sure.

[ThirdTerm]

Back in July, Kayla Rae Norton and Jose Ismael Torres went around Paulding and Douglas counties in a pick-up truck sporting a number of Confederate flags. At one point, Norton and Torres stopped their pick-up truck at the birthday party of an eight-year-old African-American child, flung racial slurs in the family's direction, and allegedly pointed a shotgun at the people in attendance, threatening to kill people at the event, per Austin News NBC news affiliate KXAN. The couple also threatened African-American drivers, yelled at them, and approached one vehicle with a gun.
http://www.complex.com/life/2017/02/...birthday-party

The couple only threatened some African Americans with a gun without firing a shot or harming people. A hate crime charge is somewhat disproportionate to what they had done. If they had killed or fatally injured someone, 20 years in prison would have been appropriate. The maximum penalty for threatening death or bodily harm is normally five years imprisonment.