Two Fla. men plead guilty to beating gay waiter to death

[kweerwolf]

The retrial of two Greenacres men previously convicted of beating to death a gay waiter abruptly ended Monday when both accepted plea agreements.

Bryan Donahue, 23, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder motivated by hatred and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

William Dodge, 24, was sentenced to 16 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to third-degree murder motivated by hatred.

<snip>

Both defendants denied they attacked Goedereis because he was gay. But prosecutors said Monday the 118-pound waiter was "intentionally selected because of his sexual orientation."

http://www.nyblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=2169

[Dora]

1. Good. n/t

[xchrom]

2. as it should be.

[zbdent]

3. I wonder if these two would have picked on the guy

if he weighed 220 - 6 foot five, all muscle . . .

[Occulus]

5. This would be why I lift weights.

I'm a small guy- I only stand about 5'6"- but I hope to get my weight up to about 150-155# by my 31st birthday; I'm at 140# right now. That would add about 20lbs of muscle onto my frame, and I already lift and push heavy stuff all day, every day, at work.

(I'm told adding that much muscle is not so unrealistic a goal. It sounds like a lot for a guy my size, but

Even looking small and "weak" gives these people license in their sad, hateful world. These are the types that call the nonathletic booksworms at school "fag".

Yeah, that's personal experience talking, and from way back to first or second grade. I was always small... but I'm no longer "weak" on top of it. ;)

[catnhatnh]

4. I dislike all "HATE CRIME" enhancement....

...it smells of "thought crime".Would it have been better if they picked him because he was small and made for easier beating? Then it would have been a "LOVE CRIME" as in "I love these easy targets...". Of course the poor bastard would be just as dead. Punish the crime, for Christ sake and forget and forget using an element of the crime (motive) as a seperate crime....

[sui generis]

6. totally disagree

you haven't thought through this enough.

It's one thing to go after a waiter and try to steal his wallet. You don't "beat" someone to death over a wallet.

What was the additional factor that drove them over the edge? In your world there wasn't one. Random people just beat a random guy to death, for his wallet.

But that's not reality. For a hate crime to prosecute there has to be some pretty damning evidence, and considerably more than "thought" crime. Those guys either had a track record, or witnesses, or perhaps passed over robbing the hetero waiter and beating him to death even though he had more money.

Thought Crimes don't result in death any more than masturbation does. Acting on fantasies, such as destroying a child to have sex with them, earn special treatment in the law. Irrational motivators such as beating up someone for being different are "hate" crimes. You can hate all you want in your bedroom with the blinds closed and clean up with kleenex or an old gym sock later but if it drives you to commit a crime . . . it's a hate crime.

[Dora]

7. I'd like to add to Sui Generis's argument

Victims of a hate crime are victimized because of circumstances they have no control over.

If a thug kills a man because the man refused to hand the thug his wallet, that's not a hate crime: the victim had the choice to hand over the wallet, but didn't.

If a thug kills a man because that man is Asian, or gay, then it is a hate crime: the victim cannot change his ethnicity or his sexual orientation.

I wish crimes against women and children would be classified as hate crimes. Rape, domestic violence, child abuse - these are all crimes that happen JUST BECAUSE the victims are women or children.

[catnhatnh]

8. So-2 of you miss the point...

...there are 3 elements used to prove a crime-motive,means,and opportunity....means was perverted when "with a firearm" was added.Now WHY a crime is committed adds a major punitive factor....How about if instead we punish a crime swiftly and severely?While "why" may mitigate a crime, I can't see how it should ever be used to enhance punishment....there are lesser motives-however I cant see how any motive enhances the damage of a crime....

[sakabatou]

9. I don't care if he was gay or not

Those two still killed an innocent person. They deserve prison.