Another Texas Dragging

[DSTCHAOS]

The suspect has now been arrested. According to reports this victim no longer has a nose and may be put into a drug induced coma. The girlfriend was just on the news and said she received a phone call saying something like pretty white girls shouldn't be with black guys.



Victim - Chris Wright

SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas -- Police said a man was dragged several feet early Wednesday in the parking lot of a Sulphur Springs motel and bar, about 80 miles east of Dallas.

Two men in a bar were involved in an argument at about 12:30 a.m. and one man was asked to leave, officials said. He entered a pickup truck, District Attorney Martin Braddy said.

The other man, Chris Wright, 26, who was picking up his girlfriend from work at the bar, stuck his head in the window of the pickup truck or was grabbed, Braddy said. As he was exchanging words with the driver, the driver sped off, dragging Wright up to 25 feet, police said.

The driver was not taken into custody and agreed to talk to police at 3 p.m. but did not show up. An arrest warrant may be issued later, police said.

Wright is at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler.

He suffered injuries to his face as well as internal injuries, Braddy said. His condition is not yet known, but he is expected to survive.

Wright's father said that his son's face looked like someone had shot him with a 12-gauge shotgun.

A witness said the argument at the bar included racial slurs. Race could have been a motivation in the altercation, Braddy said.

http://www.nbc5i.com/video/11195344/index.html

[DSTCHAOS]

Did someone delete their post about it being George Bush's fault?

[Kevin]

Yeah, didn't want to hijack the thread, but since you mentioned it, I'm guessing that the incident will be used in the same hurtful manner as the previous one.

On June 7, 1998 in Texas my father was killed. He was beaten, chained, and then dragged 3 miles to his death, all because he was black.

So when Governor George W. Bush refused to support hate-crime legislation, it was like my father was killed all over again.

Call Governor George W. Bush and tell him to support hate-crime legislation.

We won’t be dragged away from our future.

Renee Mullins: I’m Renee Mullins. My father was James Byrd, Jr.

I still have nightmares thinking about him, the day three men chained him behind their pickup truck and dragged him three miles over pavement.

I can see skin being torn away from his body.

I can hear him gasping for air.

I can feel the tears in his eyes, the struggle of his brain as images of his life painfully bang through his head as the links of a heavy chain clinched around his ankles dragging him bump by bump until he was decapitated. [pause]

On June 7, 1998 this happened to my father, all because he was black. I went to Governor George W. Bush and begged him to help pass a hate crimes bill.

He just told me no.

I'm doing this commercial to ask you to call Governor Bush at 512-X and tell him to introduce a hate crimes bill in Texas.

Let him know that our community won't be dragged down by hate crimes.

Male Voice: Funded by Americans for Equality, a project of the NAACP National Voter Fund.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Yeah, didn't want to hijack the thread, but since you mentioned it, I'm guessing that the incident will be used in the same hurtful manner as the previous one.

So remove George Bush from the equation and just look at nonpartisan support for hate crime legislation.

If this is proven to be a hate crime, based on an actual investigation of the motivation and facts--not just because the perpetrator and victim are two different races, then the penalty would be greater than a non-hate motivated assault (with the assumption the man doesn't die).

[shinerbock]

Sad story.

On a side note, hate crime legislation is stupid.

[litAKAtor]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

So remove George Bush from the equation and just look at nonpartisan support for hate crime legislation.

This is a horrible situation!!

If this is proven to be a hate crime, based on an actual investigation of the motivation and facts--not just because the perpetrator and victim are two different races, then the penalty would be greater than a non-hate motivated assault (with the assumption the man doesn't die).

If racial slurs were used prior to this man being dragged from the back of a car - if the District attorney is worth his/her salt - he/she prosecute for a hate crime.

It doesn't surprise me that good ol bush said no to hate crime legislation. The old "if it doesn't affect me and mine - I have no worries" mentality. Incredulous!

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

On a side note, hate crime legislation is stupid.

Of course it is when heterosexual white males are the least likely group to be targeted because of hate.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by litAKAtor

If racial slurs were used prior to this man being dragged from the back of a car - if the District attorney is worth his/her salt - he/she prosecute for a hate crime.

It doesn't surprise me that good ol bush said no to hate crime legislation. The old "if it doesn't affect me and mine - I have no worries" mentality. Incredulous!

Can the DA prosecute for a hate crime if there's no hate crime legislation?

Even if there were slurs while in the club, the biggest debate is whether he stuck his head in the truck or was grabbed. If it's proven that he stuck his head in the truck, he wasn't too bright and the case is shot.

[litAKAtor]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Can the DA prosecute for a hate crime if there's no hate crime legislation?

Even if there were slurs while in the club, the biggest debate is whether he stuck his head in the truck or was grabbed. If it's proven that he stuck his head in the truck, he wasn't too bright and the case is shot.

Most likely not. And correction, just because someone sticks their head in a truck and is exhanging words with someone does not justify dragging someone behind a truck. . . .If anything that is, if the guy dies, 2nd degree murder . . . .He may not get prosecuted under a hate crime statute (and I can't believe after the Byrd case nothing has been enacted . . welcome to the good ol south . .where the price of a N's head is not worth much), but should get either attempted murder if the guy doesn't die or at the very least 2nd degree (engaged in activity that had a high propensity of resulting in the death of another human being . . . but wasn't intentionally attempting to kill the person - although that is a HARD sell since normal people who aren't attempting to kill someone don't usually drag a person behind a truck).

[macallan25]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The suspect has now been arrested. According to reports this victim no longer has a nose and may be put into a drug induced coma. The girlfriend was just on the news and said she received a phone call saying something like pretty white girls shouldn't be with black guys.



Victim - Chris Wright

SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas -- Police said a man was dragged several feet early Wednesday in the parking lot of a Sulphur Springs motel and bar, about 80 miles east of Dallas.

Two men in a bar were involved in an argument at about 12:30 a.m. and one man was asked to leave, officials said. He entered a pickup truck, District Attorney Martin Braddy said.

The other man, Chris Wright, 26, who was picking up his girlfriend from work at the bar, stuck his head in the window of the pickup truck or was grabbed, Braddy said. As he was exchanging words with the driver, the driver sped off, dragging Wright up to 25 feet, police said.

The driver was not taken into custody and agreed to talk to police at 3 p.m. but did not show up. An arrest warrant may be issued later, police said.

Wright is at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler.

He suffered injuries to his face as well as internal injuries, Braddy said. His condition is not yet known, but he is expected to survive.

Wright's father said that his son's face looked like someone had shot him with a 12-gauge shotgun.

A witness said the argument at the bar included racial slurs. Race could have been a motivation in the altercation, Braddy said.

http://www.nbc5i.com/video/11195344/index.html

My mom called and told me about this. The doctors operating on him are close family friends. Same practice as my grandfather....although he didn't work on him because there was no brain or spinal trauma. He is in very good hands.

[shinerbock]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Of course it is when heterosexual white males are the least likely group to be targeted because of hate.

Oh I understand. I was under the impression we already punished people for crime. My bad.

When I get mugged by a black guy downtown, I'll thank my lucky stars he didn't call me cracker while he was doing it. Whew.

[litAKAtor]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Oh I understand. I was under the impression we already punished people for crime. My bad.

When I get mugged by a black guy downtown, I'll thank my lucky stars he didn't call me cracker while he was doing it. Whew.

For the record . . hate crime focuses on a totally different type of crime . .crime based on a persons protected category. . . seeing as how you the chances of you being a victim of a crime BECAUSE of your race or sexual orientation are slim to none- it is not surprising you would make the comment that hate crime legislation is "stupid".

I also find it interesting that you used an Af.Am man in your example as the perpetrator of a crime . . .but if he were to rob you because you are white - I would hope he would be prosecuted for a hate crime just as this evil person should be

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by litAKAtor

Most likely not. And correction, just because someone sticks their head in a truck and is exhanging words with someone does not justify dragging someone behind a truck. . . .If anything that is, if the guy dies, 2nd degree murder . . . .He may not get prosecuted under a hate crime statute (and I can't believe after the Byrd case nothing has been enacted . . welcome to the good ol south . .where the price of a N's head is not worth much), but should get either attempted murder if the guy doesn't die or at the very least 2nd degree (engaged in activity that had a high propensity of resulting in the death of another human being . . . but wasn't intentionally attempting to kill the person - although that is a HARD sell since normal people who aren't attempting to kill someone don't usually drag a person behind a truck).

Let's say he stuck his head in the truck and grabbed the driver. Self defense meant he had to drive away or something.

I hear ya, though.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

When I get mugged by a black guy downtown, I'll thank my lucky stars he didn't call me cracker while he was doing it. Whew.

Did he target you because you were white or target you because you are a suitable target for a robbery? In other words, was he motivated to commit a robbery ANYWAY when he found the opportunity and just happened to have chosen a white guy? That's what hate crime legislation gets to the bottom of. And it takes more than being called a "cracker" during the commission of a crime for it to be a hate crime.

Your attempts at sarcasm show more than anything that you have no understanding of 1) what hate crimes are 2) the significance behind the legislation and 3) how social dynamics ALWAYS factor into the law.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by litAKAtor

For the record . . hate crime focuses on a totally different type of crime . .crime based on a persons protected category. . . seeing as how you the chances of you being a victim of a crime BECAUSE of your race or sexual orientation are slim to none- it is not surprising you would make the comment that hate crime legislation is "stupid".

Precisely. There's a reason why this legislation impacts religious, racial/ethnic/cultural, gender, and sexual orientation minority groups.