Baldwin Man Charged with Hate Crime - First Since 2009
United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced that a criminal
report has been filed in federal court in Pittsburgh charging Ryan Kyle with a hate crime based on the victim’s race. This is the first federal hate crime filed in Western Pennsylvania since the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.
The one-count Information named Ryan Kyle, 22, formerly of Baldwin Borough, and presently incarcerated.
According to the Information filed with the court, on or about May 30, 2015, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Ryan Kyle did willfully cause bodily injury to K.L. because of the actual and perceived race and color of K. L.
Evidence previously introduced in state court established that Kyle, who is white, assaulted Kevin Lockett, a then-53-year-old African-American man, at the Wood Street T Station in downtown Pittsburgh on May 30, 2015. The assault was captured on Port Authority video and occurred following a Kenny Chesney concert at Heinz Field.
U.S. Attorney Hickton stated, “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 racial motivation for the offense, and demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting racially-motivated crimes.”
United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch certified the filing of the charge in the public interest and necessary to secure substantial justice. By law, federal prosecutors must obtain a written certification by the Attorney General or his designee before a hate crime prosecution may be undertaken.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the filing of charges in this case.
A criminal Information is an accusation.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The filing of an Information generally indicates that the defendant intends to enter a guilty plea.
Regional News | jweaver November 29, 2016
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By jd718, November 29, 2016 @ 6:54 AM
Hate Crimes are up after this election with 6 known hate crimes in Pa. alone! That’s what happens when you use hate-filled campaign rhetoric! Be proud Repubs this one is on you guys!
By sickofpayingforit, November 29, 2016 @ 2:46 PM
JD-
Huh? What liberals just can’t seem to understand is that the PERSON is ultimately responsible for what the PERSON does.
Using your, well we will call it logic, every adultery situation since Bill Clinton should be a point of pride for the “Dems” and is clearly “on those guys”.
By goober, November 29, 2016 @ 7:17 PM
wow lets see. according to the article this happened in 2005, oh ya oboma was the hero of the day.
By Rainbow Rider, November 30, 2016 @ 12:34 AM
Sorry but I see no local connection in this story.
By jd718, November 30, 2016 @ 7:11 AM
@ Rainbow there is no local connection. The article was meant to highlight a Hate crime.
@ Sick, Don’t give me your sorry Repub spin, Sick! The Only person as of late with a Hate-Campaign would be T-Rump and you Repubs did not Denounce anything that he said, did you?
Heck, you tried to bring OJ into the protesters as a comparison! So, I know your logic, Sick, None! Take a look at Jeff Sessions and tell me about the T-Rump Admin. Then tell me about Steve Bannon, Sick. Sick, Get a hat that says Make America Hate Again and then get back to me! LOL
Cleaning the Swamp, LMAO!!
By jd718, November 30, 2016 @ 7:38 AM
Sick, Inciting: “urge or persuade (someone) to act in a violent or unlawful way:
“he incited loyal subjects to rebellion”
Here’s some more Logic for you, Sick.
By mad-2010, November 30, 2016 @ 10:17 AM
JD, There have been at least 900 hate crime since the elections.
Can Sickof give you any reason (logical reason, at least for him!) why the increase (in hate crimes) after the election and also, maybe Sickof can explain T-Rump’s Treasury Secretary pick of Steven Mnuchin an ex-Goldman Sachs Partner and owner of a bank that made billions in foreclosed homes from the GWB recession? T-Rump closed his campaign by bashing Goldman Sachs and George Soros using Anti-Semitic words! Would Sickof interrupt such Anti-Semitic words by T-Rump as Inciting T-Rump supporters? Or for that matter would T-Rump supporters view such Anti-Semitic behavior as Acceptable? It does not look to me as if T-Rump is draining the swamp either with the pick of Mnuchin!