Nebraska Supreme Court upholds hate crime law in Old Market assault case

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

By Joe Duggan

LINCOLN — The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the state’s hate crime law in a case involving a 2013 assault of a man who was with two gay friends outside an Old Market restaurant.

Under the state law, a third-degree assault can be enhanced from a misdemeanor to a felony if the victim is targeted because of race or sexual orientation or the victim’s association with those of a certain race or sexual orientation.

In an opinion released Friday, the Supreme Court addressed what amounted to a challenge of how the hate crime statute should be applied.

Gregory Duncan was convicted of the enhanced assault after a jury determined he sucker punched Ryan Langenegger because the victim was hanging out with two friends who are gay. Langenegger is straight.

FULL story at link.


Gregory Duncan convicted felon.


Victim Ryan Langenegger was punched while out with two gay friends who had slurs directed at them.

Read more: http://www.omaha.com/news/crime/nebraska-supreme-court-upholds-hate-crime-law-in-old-market/article_fe19c820-898c-5893-bbab-0a96de79f94d.html

[Lil Missy]

1. I remember when that happened. This jerk was in the wrong part of town to be a bigoted homophobe.