White neighbor gets prison for harassing black family

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Updated 1:07 pm, Saturday, May 26, 2018

EASTON, Pa. (AP) — A neighbor accused of harassing and using racial epithets against a black Pennsylvania family for years has been sentenced to prison.

A Northampton County judge sentenced 45-year-old Robert Kujawa to the term Friday after a jury convicted him of ethnic intimidation, harassment and stalking, the (Allentown) Morning Call reported.

Prosecutors said Kujawa hung Confederate flags in the windows of his Bethlehem Township home, but only those facing the black family's residence, and used a racial slur against the woman and her son when they were in the backyard. Kujawa's attorney denied his client, who is white, used the slur.

Family members said the man used a pellet gun to shoot out their outdoor lights and damage their furniture.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/White-neighbor-gets-prison-for-harassing-black-12946217.php

[sandensea]

1. They're lucky this was in Pennsylvania

In Mississippi, they'd give the white guy a raise and throw the black family in prison for "being a nuisance."

[bitterross]

21. Sad but true anywhere in the South.

The black family would have been run out of town for causing problems for the white guy. Much like the victims of rape when the rapist is a member of the popular sports team.

[raccoon]

28. Ever heard of Vincent Chin? That happened in Michigan.

Vincent Jen Chin (May 18, 1955 – June 23, 1982) was a Chinese American man who was severely beaten in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park, Michigan, in June 1982. The beating led to his death four days later.

The perpetrators were Chrysler plant superintendent Ronald Ebens and his stepson, Michael Nitz. The lenient sentencing of these two men in a plea bargain generated public outrage over the murder attack, which included blows to the head from a baseball bat, and possessed attributes consistent with hate crimes. Many of the layoffs in Detroit's auto industry, including Nitz's in 1979, had been due to the increasing market share of Japanese automakers, particularly due to Chrysler's increased sales of captively-imported Mitsubishi models rebadged and sold under the Dodge and now-defunct Plymouth brands, leading to allegations that Vincent Chin received racially charged comments attributing to the layoffs while being beaten.[2]

Ebens and Nitz initially faced a charge of second-degree murder, but were convicted in a county court for manslaughter. They were both sentenced to three years of probation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Vincent_Chin

Some of you on DU act as if that sort of thing never happened outside the South.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Good.

[George II]

3. Pretty risky harassing blacks in Easton PA, the hometown of heavyweight champion Larry Holmes!!

[Ptah]

4. Here's a longer article

After four years of racial slurs, property damage, threats and three Confederate flags facing their Bethlehem Township home, the Baker family had its day in court.

Their next-door neighbor, Robert Kujawa, was sentenced to two to four years in state prison on Friday after being convicted at trial earlier this month on two counts of ethnic intimidation.

Kujawa has been sentenced and his home is in foreclosure but the black couple next door is still not at ease, according to Biafra Baker.

“You’re relieved that it’s over for now,” Baker said at her home on Henry Street.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2018/05/neighbor_gets_state_prison_for.html

[Hortensis]

7. Thanks. Those poor people. They fought back,

performing an important public service, and if only they could feel safe now.

[dalton99a]

10. Unbelievable

[Judi Lynn]

19. You've shared such an excellent article. Even shows him in action in a video.

Don't know what kept these people from going insane under the pressure of so much hatred directed at them daily.

Hope everyone will see your post and read the article.

Thanks, again.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Neighbor gets state prison for hate crimes against black family: 'It's been hell,' victim says

- click for image -

http://www.trbimg.com/img-5b072407/turbine/mc-1527194628-udu4dkhgq7-snap-image/479/479x269

Robert T. Kujawa was convicted of ethnic intimidation charges for harassing his neighbors, who are black,
in Bethlehem Township. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/THE MORNING CALL)

By Riley Yates
Of The Morning Call
May 25, 2018 10:35 AM

For years, Antonio and Biafra Baker said they lived in fear in their own home, beset by a neighbor in Bethlehem Township who would hurl racial epithets and other vile language at them and their two young sons.

The ways that Robert T. Kujawa menaced the Baker family, who are black, were many, authorities said.

He’d use a pellet gun to shoot out their outdoor lights, to knock holes in their fence, and to damage their patio furniture. The Bakers would find broken glass on their property, or that the pump to their pool had inexplicably been unplugged. And then there were the words Kujawa yelled at them — the n-word, the f-word and others.

It was in that context that Kujawa, who is white, was charged last year with hate crimes. Police said he posted Confederate flags in the windows of his Henry Street home — but only those facing the Bakers — and called Biafra Baker and her eldest son, now 12, the n-word while they were in their backyard on July 3.

More:
http://www.mcall.com/news/police/mc-nws-bethlehem-township-ethnic-intimidation-confederate-flag-conviction-20180524-story.html

[Solly Mack]

6. Good

[47of74]

8. How long until fuck face pardons him?

And offers him a posting in his cabinet?

[Laffy Kat]

9. Communities really need to start making an example of racists.

If you break the law, you're going to jail/prison.

[a kennedy]

11. and about DAMN TIME.

[DRoseDARs]

12. Before anyone gets confused, Kujawa is a Polish name. Not Japanese like I first guessed.

"Kujawa's attorney denied his client, who is white, used the slur."

[SCantiGOP]

13. Watch out when he gets out

He will be bitter and most likely a member of the Aryan Nation.

[pennylane100]

22. They should get a restraining order on him when he is released

If he breaks it he should have to go immediately back to jail.

[SCantiGOP]

27. My wife is a defense attorney

She says he will probably have at least 10 years of supervised probation after he gets out.

[SeattleVet]

14. OK, I have to ask...

exactly which Cabinet position is he being considered for by the tRump (Very)White House?

[AdamGG]

15. Probably the EEOC

[pennylane100]

23. I thought I read that the Homeland Security position

might become available.

[saidsimplesimon]

16. Now this

is justice I can be proud of.

[meow2u3]

17. Even more justice

Kujawa lost his home to foreclosure in the process. Now he'll have no roof over his head when he gets out of prison.

He sure got his commeuppance.

[muntrv]

18. May he share a cell with a person of color.

[Nitram]

20. I'm glad the scumbags finally paid a price.

They got away with it far too long, though.

[BumRushDaShow]

24. Here is a video of this piece of shit recorded by the harassed family

[heaven05]

25. good

small victory in an ocean of racist hate.

[SallyHemmings]

26. Let's hope

That someone doesn’t pick up where he left off.