Bias-Motivated Crimes, or hate crimes, are charged when a person injures another, harasses, or damages property of another based on the person’s race, color, religion, or sexual orientation. Recently, a Denver man was the victim of a hate crime when he came home to find the n-word written on this condo door. Police don’t have any suspects, but the community is secured, so the man is wondering if it is maybe a neighbor wrote the racially charged message. If the people involved are ever caught, they will be facing charges for Bias-Motivated Crime.
Weld County Bias-Motivated Crimes Lawyer: What is the Definition of Hate Crimes?
The Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, Colorado law definition of Bias-Motivated Crimes – C.R.S. 18-9-121 – is:
(a) Knowingly causes bodily injury to another person; or
(b) By words or conduct, knowingly places another person in fear of imminent lawless action directed at that person or that person’s property and such words or conduct are likely to produce bodily injury to that person or damage to that person’s property; or
(c) Knowingly causes damage to or destruction of the property of another person.
Because the term written on the man’s door is a racial slur, it could be argued the intent of the person who wrote it was to harass the man based on his race. This was done through property damage.
Sentence for Bias-Motivated Crimes in Fort Morgan and Sterling
Bias-Motivated Crimes, or hate crimes, in Fort Morgan, Sterling, and Greeley, can be charged as a class 1 misdemeanor or class 5 felony depending on the subsection the crime is charged under. If you are charged with a hate crime under subsections (b) or (c), then it is a class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by 6 to 18 months in the Weld County Jail. For a charge under subsection (a), it is a class 5 felony, punishable by 1 to 3 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Bias-Motivated Crimes, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-616-6009 today. Together, we can protect your future.
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