A Californian couple has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a United States court for their role in a hate crime against an Indian American in 2007. Joseph Silva, 56, and his wife Georgia Silva, 52, have been sentenced to 18 months jail-term and three years of supervised release after the US district court in Sacramento, California found them guilty of beating an American national of Indian origin in July 2007.
During the trial, the jury was told that the Indian American victim, whose name has not been released, was attacked by the Silvas at El Dorado beach on Lake Tahoe in California. According to the department of justice, the evidence showed that Georgia initially hurled derogatory racial and ethnic slurs at the victim and then his girlfriend.
When the victim called the police, Georgia not only assaulted him but also knocked him to the ground. Her husband kicked the victim in the head. The attack caused fractures to bones in the victim's face and he was transported by an ambulance to the local hospital.
The jury, during the trial, heard a recording of the call made by the victim to the police and the statements Silvas were making to the victim. Witnesses to the incident recounted that Georgia had also insulted and attempted to spit upon another man of Indian descent; said the justice department.
"This case demonstrates that hate-motivated violence has no place in 21st century America, and such crimes would be vigorously prosecuted and punished," said Thomas E Perez, assistant attorney general for the civil rights division. Americans of all races, colours, and ethnicities should feel free to use public parks and facilities without fear of intimidation and violence, he added.
US Attorney for the Eastern District of California Benjamin B Wagner said, "Bias motivated violence has no place in our society. Vigorously enforcing federal hate crime laws is among the highest priorities of the US department of justice".
"We will protect the rights of all persons in this richly diverse community to avail themselves of public facilities without fear of hate mongers and racists," he said.
