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Meldread

(4,213 posts)
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 12:44 AM Mar 2016

A man poured boiling water on a gay couple. Georgia won't charge him with a hate crime.

Last edited Sun Mar 20, 2016, 01:17 AM - Edit history (1)

A man and his boyfriend in Atlanta spent 10 days and nearly one month in a hospital, respectively, after another man poured boiling hot water on them, allegedly because of their sexual orientation.

Anthony Gooden and Marquez Tolbert were sleeping in Gooden's apartment on February 12 when Martin Blackwell, the boyfriend of Gooden's mother, walked in. According to Tolbert, Blackwell poured boiling water on the men, causing severe burns that required surgery to treat. Blackwell, who didn't live in the apartment, told Tolbert, "Get out of my house with all that gay shit."

...

Blackwell said the men were having sex when he poured hot water on them, Sarah Kaplan reported for the Washington Post. But Vickie Gray, a friend of Tolbert's, said they were sleeping, although the attack wouldn't be justified if the men were having sex.

Blackwell is currently in jail, charged with two counts of aggravated battery.


The full article is here.

Here is one of the victims talking.



Here is the Go Fund Me Page to help him pay for his medical bills.

Here is the second Go Fund Me Page to help pay for medical bills for the second victim. Thanks to csziggy for sharing this one.
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A man poured boiling water on a gay couple. Georgia won't charge him with a hate crime. (Original Post) Meldread Mar 2016 OP
Ugh. How can people do that to other human beings??? cui bono Mar 2016 #1
Hate is an awful thing mythology Mar 2016 #4
The GoGundMe pages for both men csziggy Mar 2016 #2
Thank you. I updated my OP. Meldread Mar 2016 #3
The Feds need to bring hate charges against him. Georgia won't because pnwmom Mar 2016 #5
Sometimes "hate crime" laws are weaker than the non-hate crime ones nadine_mn Mar 2016 #6
I don't think it has to do with LGBTQ specifically. brer cat Mar 2016 #14
We need to write letters and make calls fun n serious Mar 2016 #7
There are no hate crimes laws in Georgia. Behind the Aegis Mar 2016 #9
Can not federal crimes apply? joshcryer Mar 2016 #10
I am not sure about this case. Behind the Aegis Mar 2016 #11
It seems applicable: joshcryer Mar 2016 #12
It takes time, thought, intention, and attention to draw water, heat it on a stove, and pour it NBachers Mar 2016 #8
It is also the crime of an inhuman monster. (nt) LostOne4Ever Mar 2016 #13
That is one seriously depraved person. brer cat Mar 2016 #15
Indeed. eom Meldread Mar 2016 #16
Unfuckingreal awoke_in_2003 Mar 2016 #17
This is outrageous! montana_hazeleyes Mar 2016 #18
I wonder if the mother stayed with the boyfriend Marrah_G Mar 2016 #19

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
5. The Feds need to bring hate charges against him. Georgia won't because
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 01:49 AM
Mar 2016

there is no hate crime law in Georgia.

Not for LGBTQ. Not for anyone.

nadine_mn

(3,702 posts)
6. Sometimes "hate crime" laws are weaker than the non-hate crime ones
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 02:06 AM
Mar 2016

I know here in Minnesota, people have been outraged when someone hasn't been charged with a hate crime but that is because the most you can be charged with is a misdemeanor instead of a felony (this is clearly a felony assault).

That said, I am not at all assuming Georgia is progressive enough in its laws to say they want a stiffer penalty when it comes to crimes against LGBTQ.

I am just throwing out there that not charging with a hate crime is not in and of itself indicative of a prosecutor not taking the crime seriously.

Oh and one more thing - fuck that fucking waste of space asshole that did this to those men. I cannot even begin to express how disgusted I am that I walk on the same planet as that piece of shit.

brer cat

(24,402 posts)
14. I don't think it has to do with LGBTQ specifically.
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 07:40 AM
Mar 2016

GA doesn't have hate laws. That needs to change, but only if it has real teeth, as you noted for MN.

Behind the Aegis

(53,833 posts)
9. There are no hate crimes laws in Georgia.
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 03:35 AM
Mar 2016

It is one of 5 states that do not have hate crime statutes. It is a very weird situation. GA had hate crime laws, but they got "repealed" when they were trying to strengthen them. There is some info on the web about it. It is a strange situation.

The best we can do at this point is hope they treat this as the serious crime it is.

Behind the Aegis

(53,833 posts)
11. I am not sure about this case.
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 03:44 AM
Mar 2016

There is certain criteria that have to be met for the feds to get involved.

joshcryer

(62,265 posts)
12. It seems applicable:
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 03:57 AM
Mar 2016
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/249

Also found this article: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/atlanta_man_accused_of_throwin.html

He's being charged with aggravated battery, though and I just looked it up, he could get between 1 and 20 years: http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-defense/criminal-offense/georgia-aggravated-assault-laws

Hopefully the gets the highest sentence possible. This should've been attempted murder, but I expect the prosecutors are going for the sure thing.

NBachers

(17,007 posts)
8. It takes time, thought, intention, and attention to draw water, heat it on a stove, and pour it
Sun Mar 20, 2016, 03:30 AM
Mar 2016

on someone. This is a crime of intention and preparation.

montana_hazeleyes

(3,424 posts)
18. This is outrageous!
Mon Mar 21, 2016, 01:34 AM
Mar 2016

I too feel this monster who did this should be charged with attempted murder. He has in a way taken away much of these young men's lives forever!

How on earth could he think this up and actually carry it out?!?

Really, anyone who could do this should be locked up for the rest of his miserable life!!!

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