Post by Paddy by Grace on Oct 24, 2008 20:17:06 GMT -7
Hat tip: Suz
Felony 'hate crime' against Christian dropped
Student pushed homosexual who got 'in his face'
Posted: October 22, 2008
11:42 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
A Christian college student who was accused of a felony hate crime and faced up to three years in jail after a confrontation with a homosexual who got "in his face" has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count, and the hate crime has been dropped.
According to a report in the Champaign, Ill., News Gazette, Parkland College student Brett Vanasdlen, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to two years of court supervision.
WND reported when it happened Peter LaBarbera of the activist group Americans for Truth said it appeared it was a confrontation between two students: one hollering at the second, and the second pushing the first away.
According to reports, on April 12 Vanasdlen and a friend saw two homosexuals leaning on each other and holding hands, walking toward them on the sidewalk. Vanasdlen commented on "two guys holding hands."
Then, reports said, one of the "two guys" grabbed Vanasdlen by the shoulder and shouted at him. Brett told him to go away, then pushed him away, the reports said. The homosexual fell to the ground and called police.
Vanasdlen not only was the only one arrested, he was accused of a felony because the alleged victim is homosexual, reports said.
LaBarbera said at the time the circumstances were confirmed by Vanasdlen's mother, Rona Lee, when he talked with her.
He reported she confirmed her son did not initiate physical contact with the other participant in the dispute, 20-year-old homosexual University of Illinois student Steven Velasquez.
"She said Velasquez was yelling at Brett and 'in his face' and that Brett told him twice to get away from him before pushing him away," he said.
The mother told WND at the time she'd been asked by legal counsel not to talk with reporters.
"I just ask for prayers," she said, identifying the state's "hate crimes" as the problem.
"This would never have even been an event if this was another heterosexual male and he had a conflict with, and that's just unfair," she said. "I am a conservative Christian, and my son is. All we are doing is asking for prayers and support from people that may be opposed to this sort of thing happening.
"The true danger of hate-crimes laws is selective prosecution and unequal protection under the law. If a homosexual were to push an obnoxious Christian onto the ground, or things got out of control after a verbal spat, would he be facing a felony hate-crime conviction and possible jail time in Champaign, Ill., right now?" LaBarbera said at the time.
Felony 'hate crime' against Christian dropped
Student pushed homosexual who got 'in his face'
Posted: October 22, 2008
11:42 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
A Christian college student who was accused of a felony hate crime and faced up to three years in jail after a confrontation with a homosexual who got "in his face" has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count, and the hate crime has been dropped.
According to a report in the Champaign, Ill., News Gazette, Parkland College student Brett Vanasdlen, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to two years of court supervision.
WND reported when it happened Peter LaBarbera of the activist group Americans for Truth said it appeared it was a confrontation between two students: one hollering at the second, and the second pushing the first away.
According to reports, on April 12 Vanasdlen and a friend saw two homosexuals leaning on each other and holding hands, walking toward them on the sidewalk. Vanasdlen commented on "two guys holding hands."
Then, reports said, one of the "two guys" grabbed Vanasdlen by the shoulder and shouted at him. Brett told him to go away, then pushed him away, the reports said. The homosexual fell to the ground and called police.
Vanasdlen not only was the only one arrested, he was accused of a felony because the alleged victim is homosexual, reports said.
LaBarbera said at the time the circumstances were confirmed by Vanasdlen's mother, Rona Lee, when he talked with her.
He reported she confirmed her son did not initiate physical contact with the other participant in the dispute, 20-year-old homosexual University of Illinois student Steven Velasquez.
"She said Velasquez was yelling at Brett and 'in his face' and that Brett told him twice to get away from him before pushing him away," he said.
The mother told WND at the time she'd been asked by legal counsel not to talk with reporters.
"I just ask for prayers," she said, identifying the state's "hate crimes" as the problem.
"This would never have even been an event if this was another heterosexual male and he had a conflict with, and that's just unfair," she said. "I am a conservative Christian, and my son is. All we are doing is asking for prayers and support from people that may be opposed to this sort of thing happening.
"The true danger of hate-crimes laws is selective prosecution and unequal protection under the law. If a homosexual were to push an obnoxious Christian onto the ground, or things got out of control after a verbal spat, would he be facing a felony hate-crime conviction and possible jail time in Champaign, Ill., right now?" LaBarbera said at the time.