To Gregory Kane’s column of today on hate crimes legislation, I’d add these recent incidents in Denver, Colo., in which, once again, the perps and victims were “the wrong color.” The series of brutal beatings and robberies was clearly racially motivated — tinged with such shouted statements as “I hate you f—ing white people.”
According to the television news, the perps will likely face state hate crimes charges. But will we see the new, redundant federal hate crimes law applied here? That is to say, if any of the suspects are somehow acquitted in state court, will federal prosecutors re-try them in federal court, as that new law allows — an apparent violation of the constitutional protection against double jeopardy? Will any grants from the new hate crimes law be given to local prosecutors if they pursue such charges, as that new law also allows?
