FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Crown Heights Man Who Allegedly Punched Gay Man
While Using Homophobic Slur Indicted For Assault as a Hate Crime
Unprovoked, Morning Attack Occurred As Victim Was Headed to Work
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today said that a Crown Heights man is being charged in a seven-count indictment with third-degree assault as a hate crime and other charges stemming from an incident earlier this month in which the defendant allegedly taunted the victim – to whom he was known – with anti-gay slurs and punched him in the face without provocation.
District Attorney Ken Thompson said, “In Brooklyn, everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or sexual identity, must be treated with dignity and respect. Brooklyn is celebrated for its diversity. Unprovoked attacks such as this alleged assault will not be tolerated here.”http://brooklynda.org/?p=3499&preview=true
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Luois Lloyd, 29, of Eastern Parkway, in Crown Heights. He is named in a seven-count indictment that was filed yesterday in which he is charged with third-degree assault as a hate crime, third-degree assault, third-degree menacing as a hate crime, third-degree menacing, second-degree harassment as a hate crime, second-degree aggravated harassment and second-degree harassment. He will be arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court at a later date. The top count carries a penalty of 1 to 3 years in prison.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, at approximately 8 a.m., on July 6, 2015, in the vicinity of Franklin Avenue and Eastern Parkway, the defendant allegedly punched the victim, a 34-year-old openly gay man in the face and stated, “I am tired of you gay [expletive] staring at me and following me.”
The victim, who was on his way to the subway and beginning a new job, suffered jaw pain and swelling and after initially boarding the subway went back to Franklin Avenue and reported the attack to police. The defendant and the victim are known to one another from the neighborhood.
The case was investigated by New York City Police Department Detective Thomas Fisch of the Hate Crimes Task Force under the supervision of Captain Mark Magrone.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kelli Muse, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Civil Rights Bureau, under the supervision of Marc Fliedner, Chief, and the overall supervision of William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.
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