Marin County DA: Recent hate crimes being investigated
SAN RAFAEL -- In the wake of several recent hate-fueled incidents -- including antisemitic flyers distributed in several communities -- Marin County District Attorney Lori Frugoli assured the public Monday that such crimes are under investigation.
Fugoli's office hired a special investigator earlier this year -- William Reid -- who specializes in investigating cases involving hate crimes, Brown Act violations and community education and outreach.
"These incidents are revolting, and have no place in our community," Frugoli said in her announcement. "Our hate crimes investigator is working with local law enforcement to document and track these incidents. And our team of veteran prosecutors will analyze the cases to determine whether crimes have been committed."
Frugoli's office Hate Crime webpage at marincountyda.org/hate-crime explains the differences between a hate crime and a hate incident. For a criminal charge to be filed, the evidence must match the criteria for the crime at a legal standard of proof that is beyond a reasonable doubt.
Anyone who is a victim of, or has witnessed, a hate crime or incident is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency. The District Attorney's Office also maintains a hate crime hotline at (415) 473-2585, which is monitored daily and has information in Spanish and English.