A Mexican consulate employee says he was beat up for speaking Spanish on a city bus.
The victim’s attorney Gene Iredale explained what happened to his client Jorge.
Iredale says Jorge was talking to his mother in Mexico as he rode the bus home. That's when a man came up and attacked him, giving him black eyes and a bloody lip.
“He was grabbed and Turner hit him six times in the face full on, his eyes his mouth, and his check,” Iredale said.
Police arrested Hew Turner for the crime.
The District Attorney has charged Turner with two counts of battery with one special allegation, crime due to race color creed.
“The man appeared to be angry or enraged with him. He never had seen the man before , he had never done anything to give offense, other than speaking to his mother in Mexico and speaking in Spanish,” Iredale said.
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Jorge works at the Mexican consulate. His attorney says the whole situation seemed surreal to him.
“He said it was strange. He didn't understand at first what had happened because he had done nothing to give offence,” Iredale said.
At this point, Jorge most likely will not pursue a civil case because Turner doesn't have ability to pay restitution according to Iredale.
But said it's not just about the Doctor bills.
“The harm that was caused to him was the random violence in which he was selected simply because he is who he is, not for anything he did.”
Right now Turner is in jail facing the battery charges.
