Straight Couple Charged in Attack on Gay Couple

A Palm Springs, Calif., couple has been charged with battery as a hate crime after a violent dispute with a gay couple over a parking space.

Russell Bates, 24, and Abigail Sheehy, 19, were arrested May 22 after being identified from photographs taken by the victims, two male domestic partners aged 63 and 45.

The men told police they had argued with a man and a woman over a parking space May 21, and when the victims starting taking their picture, the man and woman yelled derogatory slurs and began punching them.

One of the victims lost some teeth during the attack, which police say happened in front of Bates and Sheehy's 4-year-old child.

According to KPSP, both Sheehy and Bates were charged with battery causing serious bodily injury, child abuse, and violation of civil rights (felony commission of a hate crime). Bates was also charged with probation violation.

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