A Richford man is facing charges including attempted murder with a hate-crime enhancement following an incident that occurred Wednesday morning, May 5, outside a private residence in town.
The Vermont State Police received a call at 9:10 a.m. from the victim, 27-year-old Michael Wilson, who reported that a person he knew, Anthony Mason, also a 27-year-old Richford resident, had driven a truck through the lawn of Wilson’s home on Troy Street. Wilson reported that Mason had driven the truck at him while he and his dog were on the porch and had crashed into the porch near where they were standing. Wilson also stated that Mason had driven over a dirt bike and caused considerable damage to the bike and the yard. The victim, who is Black, stated that Mason was shouting racial epithets and threatening to kill the victim throughout the incident.
Mason was subsequently arrested without incident at his home on River Street in Richford.
Members of the Vermont State Police Field Force and Criminal divisions worked throughout the day to investigate the incident. Police also worked closely with the Franklin County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Mason is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder, grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and unlawful mischief. He is also facing a hate-crime enhancement on those charges. In addition, the Vermont State Police has informed the Vermont Attorney General’s Office of the incident under the Bias Incident Reporting System.
Wednesday evening, the court ordered Mason jailed on the above charges for lack of $10,000 bail at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans Town. Mason is scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 6, in the Criminal Division of Vermont Superior Court in St. Albans.
Categories: Police Reports
“Mason is facing charges of attempted second-degree murder, grossly negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and unlawful mischief.”
Okay, so if charged with and found guilty on these serious counts why should there be any need for a so-called “hate-crime enhancement”?
If roles were reversed would there still be a “hate-crime enhancement” with additional reporting to the state AG by police of “incident under the Bias Incident Reporting System?”
Perhaps I’m naive, but I venture that most criminals don’t commit crimes because they love or respect those they commit crimes against.
Justice is supposed to be blind, not stupid.
It’s being charged as a Hate Crime for he was yelling ethnic slurs by what the victum mentioned. QUOTE- Mason was shouting racial epithets and threatening to kill the victim throughout the incident, because he was african american.
This is established law now in the age of political correctness but other than the general threats which ARE a criminal matter, I never could understand how other words that accompany said threats could be used to enhance the charges or penalties. I guess it just makes some people feel good about themselves…oh like our Governor, Attorney General, Chitt. County Prosecutor etc…
And yes, there is a double standard…if the reverse were true and words like honky, cracker, whitey were used, it would only result in the sound of crickets echoing through the prosecutors office.