However, he said a recent change in Colorado law allows offenders to be charged with hate crimes even if they are only partially motivated by bias.Įxperts say a nonbinary individual can be charged with a hate crime for targeting fellow members of the LGBTQ community because hate crime laws are focused on the victims, not the suspect. “How many more victims does there have to be?”Īldrich had been held on hate crime charges following the attack but prosecutors had said previously they weren’t sure whether those counts would stick because they needed to assess if there was adequate evidence to show it was a bias motivated crime.ĭistrict Attorney Michael Allen had noted that murder charges would carry the harshest penalty - likely life in prison - but also said it was important to show the community that bias motivated crimes are not tolerated if evidence supports the charge.Īt a news conference after the hearing, Allen declined to discuss what evidence prosecutors found to back the hate crimes counts. “Those feelings are still not condoned by the far-right, the leaders are not unanimously standing up in this country and saying, ‘Hey, no hate, this is too much,’” said Haynes. To Haynes, dozens of letters on his desk filled with negative comments, some saying the shooter was doing God’s work, reinforces his concerns about those he said propagate hate.
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