The Miami Herald reports:
The four young men accused of attacking a gay couple on South Beach face stiffer penalties after prosecutors charged them Thursday under Florida’s hate-crime enhancement law. The group was charged with aggravated battery committed with prejudice, which means each could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted of the attack that took place during Miami Beach’s annual gay pride parade.
Police say the attack happened in April after one of the victims accidentally bumped into 21-year-old Juan Carlos Lopez near a bathroom area near Ocean Drive and Sixth Street. As depicted on surveillance video, the attackers repeatedly punched the two gay men, Rene Chalarca and Dmitry Logunov, in the face, causing cuts and bruises. The blows temporarily knocked out Logunov.
The four defendants arrested for assaulting two gay individuals during the Gay Pride Parade on South Beach last month were charged today with hate-crime related felony offenses. I commend the investigative work of the @MiamiBeachPD & my Hate Crimes Unit prosecutors in this case.
— Kathy Rundle (@KathyFndzRundle) May 10, 2018
(Tipped by JMG reader Claudio)