A 23-year-old American has been convicted by a jury for brutally assaulting an elderly Sikh man and instigating his friend to join him in the hate crime, saying "ISIS, let's get him".
Daniel Coronel Wilson targeted Amrik Singh Bal last December in Fresno area of Califormia because he believed the bearded victim, who wore a turban and robe when he was attacked, was a terrorist, prosecutor Timothy Donovan said.
Donovan told the jury that quite contrary to the perception, "68-year-old Bal was a hardworking, peaceful man whose sole goal was to provide for his family."
The jury of eight men and four women deliberated two hours before finding Wilson guilty of felony assault causing great bodily injury to Bal, who was punched in the face several times and then run over by a car driven by Alexis Mendoza. The jury also ruled the assault was a hate crime, The Fresno Bee reported.
After the verdict on Wednesday, Fresno defence attorney David Munoz asked Judge Jonathan Conklin to allow Wilson to remain free on USD 35,000 bail. Munoz said Wilson was not a flight risk because he attends Fresno City College, has a job, cares for his parents, and has attended every court hearing.
But Conklin denied the request, ordering Wilson to be taken to jail and held without bail until he is sentenced December 2. Wilson faces up to eight years in prison.
Wilson stood trial alone because Mendoza, 17, committed suicide in April.
In closing arguments, Donovan told jurors, "It's a hate crime because the victim was judged by the clothing he wore and by his faith."
Donovan said Wilson instigated the assault by telling Mendoza, "ISIS. Terrorist. Let's get him."
Wilson did not testify in the trial. His trial lawyer, Marina Pincus, told jurors there was not enough evidence to convict Wilson since video of the incident does not clearly show who punched the victim nor shows who was in the car that ran the victim over.
In addition, Pincus said two witnesses, ages 12 and 17, told police that they saw a man and woman attacking Bal -- not two men.
In his closing summation, Donovan said Sikhs and Muslims have been mistaken targets of hate crimes and harassment since the 9/11 terrorist attacks by people who erroneously identify them as terrorists.
The assault took place last December when Bal was on his way to work when he was attacked. Bal told police that a skinny kid and a heavy-set subject got out of the car and beat him with their fists.
After the beating, the two assailants got back in their car. Bal tried to run away, but the car ran him over, slamming his head into the pavement.
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