Suspect Joseph Kess faces judge after same-sex couple violently attacked in Patchogue
PATCHOGUE, N.Y. -- A Long Island man accused of a violent anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime appeared in court on Thursday.
Joseph Kess is charged with attacking a same-sex couple as they were watching the sunset on Mascot Dock in Patchogue on Mother's Day.
"The ladies that were the couple were being harassed by two gentlemen ... I use that very loosely," said Mayor Paul Pontieri Jr., who witnessed the attack.
Two men hurled anti-lesbian remarks at the women, punched them and tried to push them into the bay. They tossed one of the women's cellphones in.
Prosecutors told the judge that Kess, 40, taunted the women with obscenities, urinated on their car and punched one of them in the face.
Kess allegedly said, "Can you swim? I'll [expletive] drown you," to the other woman as he dragged her down the dock.
The women were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injures.
Police said they expect to arrest the second man.
"I believe the comments are reprehensible, but I'd like everyone to keep in mind that there's a co-defendant who was not in court today and many, if not all of these comments are attributable to him," said defense attorney Scott Zerner.
Outrage over the attack was coupled with a call by the LGBT Network to ramp up penalties.
"The New York State Legislature needs to get serious about this if we're going to stop hate crimes and put in a minimum number of years that someone will serve for committing a hate crime. We're saying put in a minimum of 10 years," said David Kilmnick, president of the LGBT Network.
Kess faces felony hate crime charges of assault, harassment and criminal mischief.
Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said they tracked the suspects to a local sober house.
"Working with some of the individuals that were there, as well as our victims ... we were able to identify our perpetrators," said Harrison.
Patchogue just celebrated Pride Month with its inaugural parade celebrating inclusivity and diversity.
Prosecutors read Kess's long criminal rap sheet and the judge ordered him held on bail. Hate crimes are bail eligible in New York.