I have been writing for years here that violence against the homeless should be considered a hate crime. Clearly this isn't the case in every attack on someone experiencing homelessness, but in blatant assaults such as this one, these thugs need to spend some significant time in a military brig, then be stripped of their rights to obtain any benefits as soldiers via a dishonorable discharge. A very clear message needs to be delivered to others and these guys should be used to set that example...
(Photo courtesy of Melina Mara The Washington Post)
Group wants homeless protected under hate crime laws
OVER-the-RHINE - The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless on Friday called on state and national lawmakers to add protect homeless people from hate crimes.
Johnson was rousted from his homeless camp in Spring Grove Village in the early morning hours of April 10 after the four showed up with baseball bats and pipes. They ordered him out by shouting: "Vacate the premise."
Johnson suffered a fractured cheek, needed 18 stitches to close a head wound and suffered other cuts and bruises in the attack.
The four men - three of them servicemen - taunted Johnson as they beat him, calling him a bum and telling him to get a job, authorities said.
At the time, Johnson said he assumed the men were either police or security officers when they were barking the direct orders. Johnson said he didn't learn for weeks the men were speaking language typically used by servicemen when making sweeps in combat zones or working in crisis situations.
Johnson said it now makes sense the language the men used, but it doesn't make sense for GIs to be carrying on like that in this country.
On Friday, Johnson joined the homeless coalition in its demand for expanded hate-crime legislation. Hate crime laws add stiffer penalties in the justice system.
"You can still hate the homeless in this country," said Josh Spring, the executive director of the local homeless coalition. "They are the one last group that you can publicly hate. That hate grows."
Police are still waiting for the arrest of a fourth and final suspect in Johnson's attack.
A Hamilton County grand jury is currently reviewing the charges. If it decides to go ahead with felonious assault charges on all four men, military police will arrest the last suspect.
Maj. Brian Finkel of Fort Bragg said the suspect's commanders are keeping tabs on the solider but he is not being detained because he has not been arrested.
Finkel said he was briefed by Cincinnati police that the case was being presented to the grand jury Friday.
Michael Hesson, 24, of Norwood was arrested Monday and was released from jail Tuesday evening. Also on Tuesday, Pvt. Riley Feller, 24, who is believed to be from Boone County, was arrested at Fort Knox, where he was serving in the military. Feller is being held in Hardin County, Ky. so Cincinnati police can pick him up.
Prior to Feller's arrest on felonious assault charges, several warrants were out for his arrest, stemming back to May 2009 when he was accused of assaulting a 22-year-old man, drunk driving and having an unauthorized license plate. When Feller didn't show up to court in July, warrants were issued for his arrest. His commanders learned of his 2009 arrests in November and began the process of discharging him from the military.
On Wednesday, Spec. Travis Condor, 25 was arrested by military police at Fort Bragg where he is stationed. Later Wednesday, Condor was moved to a Cumberland County, N.C., jail where police will pick him up.
Condor came back from his year-long tour of Iraq five months ago. He is in the 82nd Airborne Division.
The fourth and final suspect, whom police have only identified as Matt is also a Fort Bragg solider.
Spring praised Cincinnati police for their work in locating the suspects, but said the military posts in North Carolina and Kentucky - and military leaders at the highest level - need to make public statements denouncing the soldiers alleged actions and their involvement in the skinhead movement.
"And (these men) are allowed to be in our military? That seems questionable," said Spring. "I think we should all question if this is the type of people we want in our military. Do we really want skinheads? Do we really want that?"
On Friday, Spring also said his group would like to go to Fort Knox and provide sensitivity training to service members.
"They used their military training to hurt someone," Spring said.
Johnson was rousted from his homeless camp in Spring Grove Village in the early morning hours of April 10 after the four showed up with baseball bats and pipes. They ordered him out by shouting: "Vacate the premise."
Johnson suffered a fractured cheek, needed 18 stitches to close a head wound and suffered other cuts and bruises in the attack.
The four men - three of them servicemen - taunted Johnson as they beat him, calling him a bum and telling him to get a job, authorities said.
At the time, Johnson said he assumed the men were either police or security officers when they were barking the direct orders. Johnson said he didn't learn for weeks the men were speaking language typically used by servicemen when making sweeps in combat zones or working in crisis situations.
Johnson said it now makes sense the language the men used, but it doesn't make sense for GIs to be carrying on like that in this country.
On Friday, Johnson joined the homeless coalition in its demand for expanded hate-crime legislation. Hate crime laws add stiffer penalties in the justice system.
"You can still hate the homeless in this country," said Josh Spring, the executive director of the local homeless coalition. "They are the one last group that you can publicly hate. That hate grows."
Police are still waiting for the arrest of a fourth and final suspect in Johnson's attack.
A Hamilton County grand jury is currently reviewing the charges. If it decides to go ahead with felonious assault charges on all four men, military police will arrest the last suspect.
Maj. Brian Finkel of Fort Bragg said the suspect's commanders are keeping tabs on the solider but he is not being detained because he has not been arrested.
Finkel said he was briefed by Cincinnati police that the case was being presented to the grand jury Friday.
Michael Hesson, 24, of Norwood was arrested Monday and was released from jail Tuesday evening. Also on Tuesday, Pvt. Riley Feller, 24, who is believed to be from Boone County, was arrested at Fort Knox, where he was serving in the military. Feller is being held in Hardin County, Ky. so Cincinnati police can pick him up.
Prior to Feller's arrest on felonious assault charges, several warrants were out for his arrest, stemming back to May 2009 when he was accused of assaulting a 22-year-old man, drunk driving and having an unauthorized license plate. When Feller didn't show up to court in July, warrants were issued for his arrest. His commanders learned of his 2009 arrests in November and began the process of discharging him from the military.
On Wednesday, Spec. Travis Condor, 25 was arrested by military police at Fort Bragg where he is stationed. Later Wednesday, Condor was moved to a Cumberland County, N.C., jail where police will pick him up.
Condor came back from his year-long tour of Iraq five months ago. He is in the 82nd Airborne Division.
The fourth and final suspect, whom police have only identified as Matt is also a Fort Bragg solider.
Spring praised Cincinnati police for their work in locating the suspects, but said the military posts in North Carolina and Kentucky - and military leaders at the highest level - need to make public statements denouncing the soldiers alleged actions and their involvement in the skinhead movement.
"And (these men) are allowed to be in our military? That seems questionable," said Spring. "I think we should all question if this is the type of people we want in our military. Do we really want skinheads? Do we really want that?"
On Friday, Spring also said his group would like to go to Fort Knox and provide sensitivity training to service members.
"They used their military training to hurt someone," Spring said.
