Guilty Plea in Antigay Attack at NYC Bar

The man accused of attacking a gay bar patron in New York City while shouting antigay and racist insults pleaded guilty to hate-crime assault on Tuesday.

According to the Associated Press, "Frederick Giunta, 45, is expected to get a 3 1/2-year prison sentence for the October incident at Julius, a Manhattan tavern where a 1966 'sip-in' helped usher in the gay-rights movement."

Hershel Katz, the attorney for Giunta, argued that his client's behavior stemmed from drunkenness, and not "ill will."

The attack at Julius contributed to concerns over a spike in antigay violence last fall. During that period, reported incidents included an attack against a man at the historic Stonewall Inn in the West Village, and a brutal gang-related antigay assault in the Bronx.