Attacker Sentenced To 15 Years, Victim Rebuilding His Life, After Vicious Anti-Gay Beating
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Arron Keahey[/caption]
Nineteen-year-old Brice Johnson was sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison on Monday after beating and kidnapping 24-year-old Arron Keahey, whom he met on a dating site.
Johnson, who claims he isn't gay, exchanged explicit messages with Keahey on Meetme.com, luring him to his home near Fort Worth, Texas. (Johnson saved Keahey's number in his phone using the name "Fag Bagg.")
"I invited this guy over, right? At first it was basically, like, a joke that went too far and too wrong," Johnson told family members in recorded jailhouse phone calls. "I invited him over because he was a fag or whatever."
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Brice Johnson[/caption]
Johnson actually thought he beat Keahey to death and tied his body with electrical cord before tossing him into the trunk of his Ford Fusion.
But when he arrived at a friend's house and Keahey screamed for help from the trunk, witnesses insisted Johnson take his victim to the hospital.
He was arrested and Keahey spent 10 days in the hospital recovering from skull and facial fractures and a brain injury.
Prosecutors eventually dropped hate crime charges in exchange for a guilty plea but, at sentencing, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor concluded Johnson kidnapped Keahey because of his sexual orientation.
Keahey suffered brain trauma, memory loss and severe trauma as a result of the attack, and has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical bills and expenses.
"I am constantly dealing with depression and other emotional problems still," he writes. "In the midst of it all, I am trying to start my life over now. I am having a hard time doing so and need help... while I rebuild my life and get myself back to life and everything in order money-wise. I am also hoping for some help with paying the large amount of medical bills. Any donation to me will be truly appreciated, and I cannot thank you enough for your support."
Even beyond financial assistance, Keahey says he hopes the campaign helps raise awareness about these kinds of assault. "The more problems like this in this country are talked about," he explains, "the less it will happen—and the closer we will be to a solution.
A Texan teenager yesterday (17 November) was sentenced to 183 months in prison for kidnapping and viciously assaulting a gay man because of his sexual orientation.
Prosecutors dropped a hate crime charge against Brice Johnson, 19, after he pleaded guilty in June.
A few minutes after Keahey arrived, Johnson severely beat him and bound his wrists with electrical cord.
He then locked Keahey in the trunk of his own car and drove to a family friend’s house, where he was repeatedly warned to take Keahey to hospital or they would call the police.
Keahey suffered multiple skull and facial fractures, which required him to be hospitalized for 10 days.
Johnson also admitted to saving Keahey's number phone number under a gay slur.
Judge Reed O’Connor found found that the kidnapping was perpetrated because of Keahey's sexual orientation.
'Using violence against another person because of his sexual orientation will not be condoned,' said Vanita Gupta, acting assistant attorney-general for civil rights at the Department of Justice.
'The department will continue to work with our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute hate crimes.'
Sarah Saldaña, US attorney for the Northern District of Texas, commended Keahey for his cooperation throughout the investigation.
'Quite simply, hate crimes of any nature will not be tolerated,' she said in a statement.
'Prosecutions under this law are important to ensure all people in our community know they have the full protection of the law.'
- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/texas-teen-gets-15-years-anti-gay-attack181114#sthash.hrcQNZm5.dpuf
