In OH the Sentence for Attacking a Latino & Tying a Noose Around his Neck is 10 Days in Jail & $100

June 19th, 2009

Apparently, in Mount Vernon, Ohio the sentence for attacking a Latino, tying a noose around his neck, and dragging him through town is ten days in jail and $100.

On May 30, 2008 Robert Cantu and his friend were attacked by several assailants shouting racial slurs.  Cantu's friend got away but the assailants caught Cantu.  The attackers tied a noose around Cantu's neck and proceeded to drag him from their truck for several feet. They then allegedly stopped the truck and began to attack him.  They threatened to hang him.  An acquaintance of Cantu's, Ezzy Thompson, happened to be passing by and intervened.  The attackers fled and Thompson was able to untie the noose from Cantu. 

"[Thompson] was with his girlfriend," said Cantu.  "He saw me on the ground and ran over and pushed the guys off me.  He got the noose off me.  I've known Ezzy for about eight years.  He was just in the area."

Several months later at the Anti-Defamation League's insistence, Dale Klein was charged for this crime by the police.  The case was given to the prosecutor on December 8, 2008.   

On June 17, Dale Klein, 18, pled no contest through his lawyer to the second charge of committing ethnic intimidation by reason of race, color, religion, or national origin, which is a fifth-degree felony.  He had originally pleaded not guilty.  As a result of that plea, the charge on the first count, committing aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor was dropped.  The maximum sentence for the charge could have included six months in jail. 

The judge sentenced Klein with ten days in jail and a $100 fine. 

"What you did was shameful," judge Ronk told Klein.  "It brought shame on you and apparently brought some shame upon this community.  And that is something you should regret.  I also know this, Mr. Klein.  All of us were 17 at one time and have done something stupid.  We all make mistakes.  You made a significant mistake.  Generally speaking, in this world we treat other people the way we want to be treated.  I kind of doubt that's what happened. You certainly are deserving of some punishment."

The case was tried in juvenile court since Klein was 17 years old at the time he committed the crime.  Since Klein is now 18, the sentence will be served in an adult facility.

In a brief statement to the court, Marcie Cantu, the victim's mother said:  

"First I want to thank everyone involved.  This has impacted our lives deeply. We have the right to live here just like everybody else without being harassed, hurt or, intimidated.  We need to send a message out to the community that you cannot treat other human beings in this manner.  You will be brought up and you will be punished."

When speaking with reporters after the trial, Marie Cantu expressed dismay with the verdict:

"It was supposed to be 30 days, and even that wouldn't have been enough.  They put a rope around his neck and they towed him.  There is no justice, and that's pretty obvious.  The big question is, why haven't the other three people been charged.  And if I want them charged, I have to find out who they were and where they lived.  That's not my job.  That's the police's job."

Read the story here, here, here and here.