NEW YORK (AP) — A former Pace University student who twice threw copies of the Koran into a toilet at the school after disputes with Muslims pleaded guilty Monday to disorderly conduct in connection with the incidents.
Stanislav Shmulevich, 24, pleaded guilty as part of a deal in which he must do 300 hours of community service. He has completed about 80 hours of the service at a hospital, his lawyer said.
… Shmulevich, a business major and immigrant from the former Soviet Union, initially was charged with two counts of criminal mischief as a hate crime. The charge is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
His lawyer, Glenn Morak, said he believed the disorderly conduct plea was an appropriate disposition. “There was no hate crime here,” Morak said. “He accepts responsibility, and he is repentant.”
It’s better than the original charges, which were ridiculous, but I dislike the whole slant of both this article and this case. The premise is that the offense was against Muslim students, with whom he was angry. The truth is that the offense was against Pace University – specifically the plumbing system. A criminal offense against the Muslim students would have included actions like hitting them or vandalizing their personal property. Another chip in the wall of western civilization.
h/t lgf: Koran Dunker Pleads Guilty to Disorderly Conduct
We all know that hate crimes are far more serious than love crimes.
That may be the best and is certainly the most concise, thing I’ve ever read to debunk the concept of hate crimes. Bravo!