Racist slurs in bar land S.F. man in prison

[Liberal_in_LA]

Racist slurs in bar land S.F. man in prison

A San Francisco man who uttered racial slurs before knocking a black man unconscious in a Chico bar has been sentenced to three years in prison for a hate crime and mail fraud.

A federal jury in Sacramento convicted Eric Clawson, 28, of the racially motivated assault in March. He pleaded guilty to the unrelated fraud charge, involving falsified loan documents, last week before being sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison England, prosecutors said.


Prosecution witnesses said Clawson, who is white, entered Riley's Bar & Grill with a friend in July 2008, saw Carl Whitfield sitting at the bar and announced that "I'm not siting here with that n-." Later, witnesses said, Clawson told the bartender not to give him any of "that n- booze."

Some time later, prosecution witnesses said, Clawson walked up to Whitfield, tapped him on the shoulder and punched him in the face. Whitfield's head hit the bar, and he lost consciousness for 20 to 30 seconds



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/crime/detail?entry_id=72392#ixzz120cdMDMe

[backscatter712]

1. GOOD! 'Bout time that bigotry came with consequences! n/t

[tularetom]

2. Appears it was slugging the guy that landed him in prison

The racist slurs just sort of helped point out the motive.

[Taverner]

3. Um no, knocking a black man unconscious in a Chico bar landed him in prison

I wish they would get this right...

[meow mix]

4. its a combination of both for that charge... i thought?

and therefore the op is correct

[Taverner]

6. Well it is a hate crime

But the violence is what put it deep in 'crime' territory

[McCamy Taylor]

5. Misleading title. We still have free speech. The man went to jail for assault

which was upgraded to a hate crime, i.e the equivalent of racketeering or terrorism---a violent act meant to frighten a group of people rather than just one.

[blondeatlast]

7. That's my interpretation. nt