Oregon Man Convicted for Threatening to Kill HIV-Positive Gay Men
An Oregon man who allegedly threatened to bomb a residence for people living with HIV/AIDS has been convicted of second-degree intimidation, The Oregonian reports.
Scott Wayne Smith, 47, was found guilty this week of using a homophobic slur against a resident of Hopewell Apartments in Portland after the victim refused to give Smith a cigarette.
As we reported last summer, Smith, who was living in a trailer on a friend’s property near Hopewell Apartments, had been harassing its gay residents for weeks. He also allegedly threatened to “kill all you people.”
One Hopewell resident told police at the time that he felt unsafe and believed that Smith would do what he had threatened.
Smith initially pleaded "not guilty" to the misdemeanor charge but changed his plea to "no contest" shortly before the trial began. He was sentenced to 21 days in jail, with credit for time served, and a two-year probation. He was also ordered to stay away from the residence, write an apology letter, and perform 40 hours of community service.
Oregon’s hate crime law, which covers crimes motivated by a victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation, was applied to Smith’s case.
"Everyone deserves the right to feel safe in our community," says prosecutor Melissa Marrero in a statement. "Scott Smith took that right, and the sense of security, away from the victim as well as the other residents living at this particular apartment complex."
"We believe this is an appropriate resolution that holds Mr. Smith accountable for specifically targeting the victim based on his sexual orientation, which is a protected class in Oregon."