PHILADELPHIA: No Jail Time For Two Alleged Gay Bashers, Third Rejects Plea Deal And Will Face Trial

Two of the three alleged gay-bashers accused in the brutal October 2014 attack on a Philadelphia gay couple have agreed to a plea deal in which they will receive probation and community service. The third and most infamous of the charged trio, Kathryn Knott, has refused a plea arrangement and will go on trial in two weeks. The attack electrified the internet when Twitter sleuths used a Chinese tactic called the “human flesh search engine” to identify the trio from surveillance videos. I’ll update this post with more details as they become known.

UPDATE: From the Philadelphia Inquirer:

Philip Williams, 25, of Warminster, and Kevin Harrigan, 26, of Warrington, were sentenced to probation and agreed to stay out of Center City after pleading guilty to simple assault and conspiracy. A third defendant – Kathryn Knott, 25, of Southampton – has decided to take her chances with a jury. Both Williams and Harrigan apologized to the court and the victims and said incident was not about sexual orientation. They had been charged with a more serious count of aggravated assault. The attack happened about 10:45 p.m. Sept. 11, 2014, at 16th and Chancellor Streets. A group of people accosted Zachary Hesse, 28, and Andrew Haught, 27, and allegedly began hurling gay slurs that led to fisticuffs. Both men were bruised and Haught’s jaw was broken.