Allegations of hate crimes often attract a lot of negative publicity, which can be just as detrimental to the accused as the possibility of conviction itself. Although accusations of hate crimes can arise from various types of situations, the common thread they all have is that the alleged motivation for the crime was some bias or prejudice against a specific group of people.
While history has been rife with racially biased hate crimes, in today’s society, hate crimes can be alleged for prejudice against any of the following:
- Religion
- Disability
- Age
- Sexual orientation
- Ethnicity or nationality
Additionally, hate crimes can be charged for a wide range of alleged possible acts associated with prejudice, including (but not limited to):
- Threatening violence
- Injuring or killing a person
- Vandalizing or otherwise damaging a person’s property
Hate Crime Convictions And Penalties
Whether a misdemeanor or felony charge is filed against those accused of a hate crime — as well as the degree of the particular charge filed — will depend on a number of factors, some of which may include:
- The criminal record of the accused, when/if applicable
- The extent of injuries sustained by the victim
- Whether an illegal weapon was allegedly used in the commission of the crime
- Whether provocation or drug use played a role in the crime
With the complicated nature of hate crime laws, coupled with the complexities of the criminal justice legal system itself, it is critical that those accused of any type of hate crime work with our Denver criminal defense lawyers for the best chances of achieving favorable outcomes to their cases. For a FREE, no-obligations evaluation of your case, contact us by emailing or calling (303) 806-8886.
