A man said to have inspired the passage of a proposed new hate crime law in Washington State has been sentenced to more than six years in prison, reports FOX13.
Demarcus Pate received the sentence after pleading guilty to hate crime charges in connection to a series of home invasion robberies targeting Asian American homeowners in the Seattle area.
The series of crimes happened in the summer of 2023.
“This individual pled guilty to not only unlawful possession of a firearm, and two counts of burglary, but also a hate crime for the intentional targeting of Asian households,” Douglas Wagoner with the King County Prosecutor’s Office said to KIRO.
Additional suspects may also be charged in this case.
The Washington state legislature recently passed a measure to clarify the definition of hate crimes that is awaiting the Governor Bob Ferguson (D).
FOX13 reports the proposed law was inspired by this case.
The law, according to KIRO, would allow prosecutors to charge a hate crime based on the perception a defendant has on a victim’s race, sex, sexual orientation or disability.
“When there is evidence to show that people were victimized by a hate crime – in whole or in part because of a defendant’s bias – those perpetrators must be held accountable. Prosecutors need this legal fix to ensure that happens,” King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said. “I appreciate the leadership of Rep. Cindy Ryu and Sen. Manka Dhingra to hold people accountable when they act out from a place of hate.”
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