State Rep Looking To Change Pa. Hate Crime Law
By Justin Udo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia Police are in the process of hunting down the suspects in the brutal beating of two gay men in Center City.
Even though the public may be looking at this as a hate crime, under state law...it's not.
Tasha Jamerson with the Philadelphia District Attorney's office says in Pennsylvania, there is nothing protecting sexual orientation in the ethnic intimidation or hate crime law:
"In order for ethnic intimidation to be charged, the malicious intent toward the religion, ethnicity or race of the victim must be the motive for the commission of the underlying crime. There is no wording in the law when it comes to sexual orientation.
Philadelphia and Montgomery County State Representative Brendan Boyle says he has introduced legislation to change that:
"My effort, my bill would simply add sexual orientation to our already existing hate crime law."
Representative Boyle says the bill he introduced more than a year ago has bipartisan support, but it's yet to be voted on.