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Air Force Sergeant's Rank Lowered After Hate Crime
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 4, 2010
Modified Feb 4, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 4, 2010
Modified Feb 4, 2010
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Back in September last year friends Blake Hayes, Alec Bell and Danny Calvert were all victims of a hate crime outside of a Manhattan bar in Hell's Kitchen. Following an incident, the NYPD refused to take their attacker's information, or let them file a claim. Soon after, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn spoke up on behalf of the victims of the bias attack and investigations began.
Last month it was announced that the suspect was Air Force Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ford (pictured), who has been stationed in England (but at the time of the incident was in New York). Now Quinn has released a statement saying: "Through an agreement between the NYPD and the U.S. Air Force, he was charged in a military court with 3 counts of assault and battery, 1 count of issuing a false statement (AF Form 1158), in violation of Article 107 of Military code. His punishment will include dock pay for the month of September, a loss of a stripe and lowering of his rank."
As for the NYPD failing to file a claim or get the attackers information when they were called to the scene, Quinn says "an Internal Affairs Bureau investigation is in progress and we are awaiting the results of this investigation.”
Tagged
air force
Benjamin Ford
Blake Hayes
christine quinn
gay bashing
hate crime
hell's kitchen
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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