Posted on 07/12/2006 6:05:06 AM PDT by LurkedLongEnough
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- A homeless convicted rapist who told police he stabbed a woman to death because she was white was convicted Tuesday of murder as a hate crime.
Jurors found Phillip Grant guilty of second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Grant, who is black, had admitted killing Concetta Russo-Carriero, 56, last June in a mall parking garage.
"As long as she had blond hair and blue eyes, she had to die," Grant said on a videotaped statement to police, which was shown at the trial. "I have no remorse whatsoever because she was white."
Grant, 44, displayed no emotion as the verdict was read. In the gallery, the victim's family exchanged hugs and kisses.
"Although it won't bring Connie back and that's devastating, at least Mr. Grant will never be able to commit such a heinous crime again against such a beautiful woman," said the victim's cousin, Vincent Scala.
Grant faces a sentence of 20 years to life to a hearing Sept. 11.
Defense lawyer Eugene Traynor had argued that Grant's videotaped confession should not be believed because he also confessed to crimes that may never have occurred. The lawyer told jurors the tape was "an unreliable mess" that showed Grant to be paranoid and delusional.
Traynor also argued that Grant was not properly advised of his rights before confessing and said he would appeal. "The confession was unconstitutionally obtained," Traynor said.
Grant had completed his maximum sentence for a rape conviction and had refused mental-health treatment offered at homeless shelters. He was arrested within minutes of the attack.
The case has spurred calls for a civil commitment law to keep violent sex offenders off the streets even after their time is served.
Wait....is THAT a crime?
Not yet.
ping
Wait til the ACLU appeals it on the basis that blacks can't be racist.
Lol. I've never heard that expression, "love crime."
It's a perfect way to describe the NONSENSE of "hate crime" and shows the entire idea as racist, sexist, bigoted and heterophobic.
Geez, punishing thoughts....that's SO stupid.
There is an old German song about "Thoughts are free." They aren't here any more. Sad.
OFFICER: OK Lebron, so do ya' understand your rights?
LEBRON: Ugghhhh...
OFFICER: YES OR NO, PUNK!?
LEBRON: Yeahhh.
OFFICER: Now it says here I got to ask you. Did ya' hate this broad?
LEBRON: Whhhaaaaat?
OFFICER: Did ya' hate her?
LEBRON: Whadda' you think, man? I didn't go buy her no damn flowers an' chocolates!
OFFICER: ANSWER THE QUESTION!
LEBRON: What ya' talkin' about? I damn wasted the fat bitch!
OFFICER: Hmmm. So ya' didn't hate her?
who'd a thunk it?
Black people were charged and convinced of hate crimes for acts during a riot in Cincinnati a few years back as well.
That fact was almost unreported in the press.
I personally don't see the need to have special hate crimes laws to handle murders or other violent crimes baske on race or other factors. Someone who would kill another person just because of their physical attributes without knowing anything else about them is a seriously disturbed and dangerous person that should never be released back into society.
Their race or the race of the victim may matter to them, but it should not matter in the eyes of the law. We need to quit confusing politics with justice.
I am glad to see that the laws seem to be being applied equitably. However, I think lawmakers should quit adding complication to our laws for political reasons.
There is precedent...
Exodus 20:17
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Kill a senator. They have special laws protecting them.
So far no one has challenged this under the unequal protection clause...
If he had BEEN a muslum you would have the ACLU and half of Hollywood there protesting the trial.
But God is specifically noted as having the ability to see into men's (and women's) souls, whereas mankind is specifically noted in the Bible as not having that ability. Therefore, God may judge intent and thought, whereas man can only adjudicate according to another man's actions.
Wow.... I'm sure that 'hate crime' designation means a hill of beans.
POC will be out in 20 years....
The death penalty would be a much better preventative measure of future offense than some scarlet letter for a deranged maniac.
I regret this. Doesn't make a difference to the woman, and doesn't put the murderer on the gallows where he belongs, but it does go another step in the direction of "thought crime."
Time for jesse jackass to get his face on tv.
True. But it is still, to the best of my knowledge, the first record of a thought crime.
When is is not???
"20 years to life"? We're not in Canada, are we?
What a ludicrous statement. No veritas in it AT ALL.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- I'm thoroughly against the idea of "hate crimes" as a legal category. However, prosecutors should be allowed to introduce evidence of "hate bias" (or whatever you want to call it) in the trial phase in order to help establish motive and also in the sentencing phase to help establish whether or not to criminal remains a threat to others. But they can do that without having separate categories for "hate crimes" per se.
Will the 'hate crime' bonus be concurrent or consecutive IF he is convicted?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.