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Georgia Couple Get Prison for Racial Threats at Black Child’s Party Georgia Couple Get Prison for Racial Threats at Black Child’s Party
(about 4 hours later)
The child’s birthday party was going strong in Douglasville, Ga., during the summer of 2015 when the convoy of men and women waving Confederate battle flags drove up. The partygoers, most of them black, were grilling and celebrating. Then the shotgun came out, prosecutors said later at trial. The child’s birthday party was going strong in Douglasville, Ga., during the summer of 2015 when the convoy of men and women waving Confederate battle flags drove up. The partygoers, most of them black, were grilling and celebrating. Then the people in the pickups pulled out a shotgun, prosecutors said later at trial.
“Members of the group pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at the victims,” District Attorney Brian Fortner said in a statement. “They used racial slurs and threatened to kill some of the party goers. They even threatened to kill children at the party.” “Members of the group pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at the victims,” District Attorney Brian Fortner said in a statement. “They used racial slurs and threatened to kill some of the partygoers. They even threatened to kill children at the party.”
Mr. Fortner added, “This is behavior that even supporters of the Confederate battle flag can agree is criminal and shouldn’t be allowed.”Mr. Fortner added, “This is behavior that even supporters of the Confederate battle flag can agree is criminal and shouldn’t be allowed.”
This week, Judge William McClain of Douglas County Superior Court sentenced a man and woman to lengthy prison sentences for their part in the confrontation, which took place in 2015. He said, “Their actions were motivated by racial hatred,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This week, Judge William McClain of Douglas County Superior Court sentenced one of the men and a woman among the group to lengthy prison sentences for their part in the confrontation. He said, “Their actions were motivated by racial hatred,” according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The couple, Jose I. Torres, 26, and Kayla Rae Norton, 25, were each found guilty last month of making terroristic threats and of violating Georgia’s street gang law; Mr. Torres was also found guilty of aggravated assault.The couple, Jose I. Torres, 26, and Kayla Rae Norton, 25, were each found guilty last month of making terroristic threats and of violating Georgia’s street gang law; Mr. Torres was also found guilty of aggravated assault.
Norman Barnett, an assistant district attorney, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that Mr. Torres received a sentence of 20 years: 13 to be spent in prison and the remainder on supervised probation. Ms. Norton got 15 years: six in prison and the rest on probation.Norman Barnett, an assistant district attorney, said in a telephone interview on Wednesday that Mr. Torres received a sentence of 20 years: 13 to be spent in prison and the remainder on supervised probation. Ms. Norton got 15 years: six in prison and the rest on probation.
Mr. Torres and Ms. Norton, who have three children together but are not married, wept at the sentencing hearing, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ms. Norton told some of the victims that she accepted responsibility.Mr. Torres and Ms. Norton, who have three children together but are not married, wept at the sentencing hearing, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ms. Norton told some of the victims that she accepted responsibility.
“What happened to you is absolutely awful,” she said. “From mother to mother, I cannot imagine having to explain what that word means.”“What happened to you is absolutely awful,” she said. “From mother to mother, I cannot imagine having to explain what that word means.”
The authorities did not identify the family who held the party. But Hyesha Bryant, 34, who attended the party and was at the sentencing hearing, was quoted by news reports as telling the defendants in court:The authorities did not identify the family who held the party. But Hyesha Bryant, 34, who attended the party and was at the sentencing hearing, was quoted by news reports as telling the defendants in court:
“I never thought this would be something I’d have to endure in 2017. As adults and parents, we have to instill in our children the values of right and wrong. That moment you had to choose to leave, you stayed.”“I never thought this would be something I’d have to endure in 2017. As adults and parents, we have to instill in our children the values of right and wrong. That moment you had to choose to leave, you stayed.”
The episode occurred in the summer of 2015, when Ms. Norton, Mr. Torres and other members of a group called Respect the Flag drove around Paulding and another county, flying the Confederate flag, pointing guns at black residents and threatening to kill them. The authorities said Ms. Norton, Mr. Torres and other members of a group called Respect the Flag were driving around Paulding and another county, flying the Confederate flag, pointing guns at black residents and threatening to kill them.
On the afternoon of July 25, 2015, according to the district attorney’s statement on Monday, the group drove past the party in Douglasville, a city of about 30,000 people 22 miles west of Atlanta. A cellphone video shows several white men driving away in a convoy of pickups with the Confederate battle flag, the American flag and other banners fluttering from the truck beds. On the afternoon of July 25, 2015, according to the district attorney’s statement on Monday, the group drove past the party in Douglasville, a city of about 30,000 residents 22 miles west of Atlanta, and threatened the people there. A cellphone video shows several white men driving away in a convoy of pickups with the Confederate battle flag, the American flag and other banners fluttering from the truck beds.
People at the party called 911, and the Douglasville police went to the scene, but made no immediate arrests. The police said in an email on Wednesday that the investigation took more than a month, because of the “volatile and chaotic” situation at the party and “because of the seriousness of this case to our community, we wanted to get this case right the first time.”People at the party called 911, and the Douglasville police went to the scene, but made no immediate arrests. The police said in an email on Wednesday that the investigation took more than a month, because of the “volatile and chaotic” situation at the party and “because of the seriousness of this case to our community, we wanted to get this case right the first time.”
Law enforcement officials later investigated the social media accounts of the members of the group and found posts suggesting they were “white supremacists who discussed attending K.K.K. rallies, joining Skinheads Nation and making numerous derogatory remarks about African-Americans as a whole,” according to the district attorney’s statement.Law enforcement officials later investigated the social media accounts of the members of the group and found posts suggesting they were “white supremacists who discussed attending K.K.K. rallies, joining Skinheads Nation and making numerous derogatory remarks about African-Americans as a whole,” according to the district attorney’s statement.
Ms. Norton tried to “cover up her actions of retrieving the shotgun from Torres’ truck, loading it and giving it to him to take up to the confrontation,” the statement said.Ms. Norton tried to “cover up her actions of retrieving the shotgun from Torres’ truck, loading it and giving it to him to take up to the confrontation,” the statement said.
In October 2015, Mr. Fortner announced indictments against Mr. Torres, Ms. Norton and 13 others. As The Times reported, applying charges related to the state’s anti-street-gang law was an unusual legal maneuver, and legal experts said they could not recall other instances in which a similar statute had been used to prosecute a Confederate heritage group in the Deep South.In October 2015, Mr. Fortner announced indictments against Mr. Torres, Ms. Norton and 13 others. As The Times reported, applying charges related to the state’s anti-street-gang law was an unusual legal maneuver, and legal experts said they could not recall other instances in which a similar statute had been used to prosecute a Confederate heritage group in the Deep South.
A superseding indictment last April added aggravated assault charges against four people: Mr. Torres, Ms. Norton and two others. Ms. Norton was found not guilty of aggravated assault.A superseding indictment last April added aggravated assault charges against four people: Mr. Torres, Ms. Norton and two others. Ms. Norton was found not guilty of aggravated assault.
The two others entered guilty pleas and were sentenced to two-year and four-year prison sentences, Mr. Barnett said. As for the rest of the group, he added, “some pled out to lesser charges.”The two others entered guilty pleas and were sentenced to two-year and four-year prison sentences, Mr. Barnett said. As for the rest of the group, he added, “some pled out to lesser charges.”