A King County jury found a man guilty Tuesday of launching a violent attack on a Capitol Hill street because his victim was gay.
Raven Brealan, 35, was convicted for a September 2011 assault that witnesses said began on E Pike with Brealan yelling “Take this faggot shit somewhere else!” as two homosexual men talked with their two homosexual female friends near the Wildrose. “Maybe you should realize where you are and stop talking like that,” one of the men said to Brealan, according to the prosecution.
King County Prosecutors said Brealan punched the other man in the face after the scolding, giving him a bloody nose and also struck him with a “no parking” sign when he followed while dialing 911 as Brealan tried to leave the area.
According to court documents, the defense did not deny Brealan had assaulted the victim but contended that the 35-year-old did so out of anger and drunkenness — not hate — saying Brealan was “angry and intoxicated” and “offended” when the man “assumed the role of speech cop.” The defense also said Brelean was angry because, “Earlier in the evening, Brelean had an unfortunate encounter with a gay male.”
Brealan, who has a lengthy criminal record including vehicle theft, robbery and assault charges, now awaits sentencing. The maximum sentence for malicious harassment is five years.
It’s about time one of these vicious losers was convicted of their antisocial/criminal behavior. I hope he gets the full 5 years.
I agree. I can’t stand the “I don’t hate I was just drunk” defense. I’m drunk all the time and hateful shit doesn’t spew out of my mouth.
I do however love the “Maybe you should realize where you are and stop talking like that,” line, I feel like i’ve said that before when I’ve read about things like this.
Guess not.
Can these douchebags all leave the hill and head back to belltown?
It seems really strange that losers who obviously have a problem with gays/lesbians go out of their way to head to the one area of Seattle where they’re most likely to run into a lot of gays/lesbians. Then be pissed when they do? WTF? If he dislikes them so much, why go where he knows they’ll be unless but to pick fights.
That’s a crappy attitude. You stereotype anyone living in Belltown as a douchebag. You are not helping.
But the stereotype is true…
It’s often stated here that when an undesirable person emerges in a news story on Capitol Hill, the remark is “why don’t they stay in Belltown where they belong”.
I wonder if Belltown says “why don’t they go back to Capitol Hill where they belong” when someone pulls some kind of shit there.
If a perp happens to be grimy and has bad B.O., should he go back to Sodo?
How ’bout we just send them all to Renton?
Hating on Belltown is for douchebags. You realize that’s where the pride parade is happening, right?
I don’t care who this alcoholic psychopathic assaulted or where he did it, I’m just glad to see him pay for it.
Renton will say he needs to go back to Tacoma.
Let’s just send them all to jail for a significant time…..IF, of course, they are convicted of a crime.