Four of the five men charged with malicious harassment after being arrested for beating a man in the street at 10th and Pike as they yelled hateful epithets last month pleaded not guilty Thursday.
Justin Echols, 22, Trey Amberson, 22, William Berger, 21, and Zachary Kocikhill, 21, entered the not guilty pleas against the charges of malicious harassment, the state’s hate crime statute. Aaron Nelson, 21, is scheduled to enter his plea next week.
Police say the five violently beat a 20-year-old black male with their fists and a skateboard while shouting “nigger” and “faggot” in the late-night May 29th incident. According to the police report on the beating, the victim said he did not know the five men and did not know why he had been targeted but said he had punched a female previous to the fight after she had called him a “snitch.” Police say witnesses told them the group had been harassing people in the area before violently turning on the black male.
Police documents and records show the five are each either homeless or from out of state and traveling in Seattle.
If convicted on the hate crime charges, the men will face sentences between three and nine months.
Gosh, what an awful story. I hope they’re successfully prosecuted and receive maximum sentences. That’s rare for me to say, but this isn’t the kind of thing I’m going to tolerate in this neighborhood. Damn…to hell with these people. Sorry, bad mood.
I agree 100% Janet! These little shits need to be taught a lesson, and apparently it’s going to be a tough one.
I agree too, but 3-9 months is WAY too short a sentence for such a vicious, unprovoked assault.
I know it’s just kind of part of the process to plead not-guilty, but it still sickens me they’d have the balls to do it after kicking somebody around and calling them such names
[…] classes. Attorneys for the three going to trial did not return requests for comment. All five pleaded not guilty to the hate crime charge in […]