Hate Crime 'Victims' Admit ot Arson Scheme

[LOC1]

HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Local & State

Aug. 21, 2003, 10:02AM

Hate crime 'victims' admit to arson scheme By DALE LEZON Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle

A Klein couple who claimed their house was burned in a hate crime admitted staging the blaze to collect on insurance.

Nicholas Gatlin, 31, pleaded guilty Monday to arson and insurance fraud and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, said Harris County Assistant District Attorney Steve Baldassano.

His wife, Tracey Gatlin, also 31, pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and received four years deferred adjudication. They also must pay $13,000 in restitution to Allstate, the company that insured the home, Baldassano added.

The couple claimed their house in the 9800 block of Tassel Brook was torched Dec. 7. Racial slurs were spray-painted on the walls.

Nicholas Gatlin filed a claim for more than $100,000 with Allstate.

Fire investigators, however, said they recovered 18 forensic samples from inside the structure and all tested positive for gasoline or diesel fuel. A gas can was found in the living room.

Investigators also said they found more than 100 family keepsakes, including photo albums, medications, immunization records and the couple's marriage license in their apartment after the blaze. Witnesses also said they had seen items being removed from the house shortly before the 4 a.m. blaze.

Tracey Gatlin said she had salvaged mementos from the garage after the fire. The couple claimed to have been in Louisiana at the time of the blaze.

Nicholas Gatlin's trial on a charge of insurance fraud ended in a hung jury in July. The jury was deadlocked 11-1 in favor of conviction, prosecutors said.

[LOC1]

Seems as though this has received very little notice from most of the media.

[ClearCase_guy]

Seems as though over 50% of the Hate Crimes turn out to be self-inflicted.

[FierceDraka]

[4mycountry]

Seems as though over 50% of the Hate Crimes turn out to be self-inflicted.

I hate myself, I hate myself, I hate myself...

[Blood of Tyrants]

50%? Are you kidding. Practically ALL of the high profile cases are turning out to be fraud. Newspapers and TV media are starting to shy away from them a bit as they are being burnt by the frauds.

[moyden2000]

[martin_fierro]

Didn't get by us.

[ClearCase_guy]

I was trying to be gentle. Actually, I half expected someone to challenge the 50% figure with a "Prove it!" As far as I see it, Hate Crimes in America today come in 2 flavors:

1) Pizza Hut employee scribbles racial epithet on receipt.
2) Member of minority group torches own home and blames white racists.

The serious ones turn out to be fake. The "real" racial hate crimes are laughably minor, IMO.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Of course the "hate crimes" industry will not erase this from their tally. Just like all the college campus "hate" crimes of recent years have been hoaxes, it seems to me, they are still included in the industry's count. Ditto for the gun-grabbers. Every gang-banger, drug shoot out is a "guns victimize children" statistic. No wonder they are losing the Second Amendment argument -- and "crying" all the way to the bank.

[SengirV]

Why does he go to jail and she does not? I guess that if you are a female, you can do anything and not go to jail as long as you have a man for a partner.

[King Prout]

what dummies.
just damn

[John Locke]

Just what I was thinking. He gets 10 years in the slammer and she gets a slap on the wrist.

That's a hate crime against men, right there.

[evolved_rage]

Isn't it a hate crime to falsely accuse a different ethnic group of criminal activity?