hate crime

Ask The Mayor: West Lafayette's John Dennis On Back To School Safety

By • Aug 2, 2018
City of West Lafayette

 

This week on WBAA’s Ask The Mayor, we’re going back to school. School shootings have dominated the headlines over the past year, and the state of Indiana is supplying free handheld metal detectors to schools who request them--but will the West Lafayette School Corporation sign on? What’s the best way to ensure safety, with an awareness of gun violence heightened after the Noblesville shooting in May?

Senate Committee Begins Debate On Hate Crimes Bill

By Brandon Smith • Jan 23, 2018
La'Kyesha Gardner tells a Senate committee about a racially-motivated attack against her son. (Brandon Smith/IPB News)

Debate on a hate crimes bill was emotional and, at times, heated Tuesday as a Senate committee kicked off conversation on the issue.

Indiana is one of five states without a hate, or bias crimes, law. The legislation would allow judges to impose harsher sentences if a crime was committed in part because of a victim’s characteristics – such as race, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Committee Passes Bill Creating Hate Crime Penalties

By • Jan 26, 2016
Joe Gratz / https://www.flickr.com/photos/joegratz/117048243

Indiana is one of only five states without any hate crimes law.  Legislation unanimously approved Tuesday by a Senate committee would change that.

Sen. Sue Glick’s (R-LaGrange) bill would allow judges to inflict harsher penalties based on a person’s motivation for committing a crime – specifically, if they committed a crime with the intent to harm or intimidate someone based on that person’s race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, or transgender status. 

Activists Hoping Lawmakers Make Time In Jam-Packed Session For Anti-Hate Crime Legislation

By Sarah Fentem • Dec 3, 2015
Jim Grey / https://www.flickr.com/photos/mobilene/

While state legislators have made it clear they want to focus on anti-discrimination laws this session, some civil rights activists are pushing for another type of law –one punishing bias or “hate” crimes.

Hate crimes add an extra element to traditional crimes, a bias against a particular group, such as one defined by race, sexual orientation or religion.

Possible hate crime being investigated at Purdue

By Mike Loizzo • Apr 23, 2013
Mike Loizzo / WBAA Radio

Part of a display left after a Purdue Anti-Racism Coalition demonstration has been defaced according to university police. The incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime.

Detectives say a sign left by some candles in front of Hovde Hall after the Coalition’s demonstration Monday had a racial slur written on it. A picture of a body hanging from a tree also was drawn on the sign.

They believe the incident happened around 9:15 a.m. Tuesday. Anyone with information should contact the Purdue Police at 765-494-8221 or its anonymous tip line at 765-496-3784.