Man imprisoned for black man's beating faces fed hate charge
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A white man serving a three- to six-year state court sentence for beating a black man at a Pittsburgh commuter rail station during a drunken argument following a Kenny Chesney concert has agreed to plead guilty to a federal hate crime charge for the nonfatal incident, federal prosecutors and his attorney said Monday.
The charge against Ryan Kyle, 22, is filed under the 2009 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which makes it illegal to cause physical harm because of expressed racial animus.
"The anticipated plea in this case ensures that Ryan Kyle is held fully accountable for a federal hate crime that carries a significant sentence, highlights the radial motivation for the offense, and demonstrates the federal government's commitment to prosecuting racially-motivated crimes," U.S. Attorney David Hickton said.
Kyle's attorney, Almon Burke, a former federal prosecutor, confirmed Ryan has agreed to plead guilty to the charge, which can carry up to 10 years in prison. But Burke said he and federal prosecutors are recommending a three-year sentence that will run concurrently with Ryan's state sentence - meaning Ryan won't serve any additional prison time if a judge approves the plea deal.
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