Two men were jailed Monday following the beating of a gay couple at a Greek restaurant in what police are calling a hate crime. John A. Himonetos, 21, and Stamatios N. Kannis, 22, both of Tarpon Springs, Fla., were arrested early Saturday morning after allegedly punching and kicking two men as they tried to leave Zorbas Restaurant and Lounge with friends. Police said the attackers hurled insults in both Greek and English. Himonetos and Kannis are each being held on $41,500 bail and two counts of felony aggravated battery and three counts of misdemeanor battery.
Peter Malamoutsis, 22, and R. Gregory Hall, 31, both of Bartow, were with a group of about 10 friends when Malamoutsis was approached by Himonetos, whom he knew. When the group started to leave, they were attacked in the parking lot, where they were called a derogatory name and told not to come back to Tarpon Springs, police said. Malamoutsis suffered bruises and a cut above the right eye, which required stitches to close, police said. His brother, Theodore, suffered bruises and a cut to the forehead. Three other people in their group were treated for lesser injuries after the fight.
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