Two male suspects who have been arrested on charges of beating 42-year-old Jimmy Lee Dean will not be prosecuted under hate-crime charges, according to The Dallas Morning News. Prosecutors involved in the case say that the two men, Bobby Singleton, 29, and Jonathan Gunter, 31, both of Garland, will face the maximum penalty if found guilty, making the additional hate-crime categorization unnecessary. Each suspect currently faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a first-degree felony that, with a conviction, will put each man in prison for as many as 99 years.
The July 17 crime took place at approximately 1 a.m., when the suspects allegedly approached Dean, kicking and hitting him with a handgun and inflicting injuries that required hospitalization. Witnesses claim to have heard antigay language during the attack.
Though the prosecution will not pursue hate-crime charges, the Dallas police have said that they will categorize the attack as a hate crime for statistical purposes. According to The Dallas Morning News, "Through June, Dallas police reported seven hate crimes, including two antigay offenses."
The two suspects, who have not yet been indicted, are currently each being held on more than $300,000 bail, according to Dallas County Jail records. (The Advocate)
