MICHIGAN
A Michigan man was sentenced this Thursday for willfully causing bodily injury to a Black teenager because of the teenager’s race, according to federal authorities.
Lee Mouat, 43, pleaded guilty on March 4. He was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release for his hate crime.
According to documents filed in connection with this case, Mouat admitted that he confronted a group of Black teenagers, including the victim, at a state park in Monroe, Michigan.
Mouat repeatedly used racial slurs and said that Black people had no right to use the public beach where the incident occurred.
Mouat then struck one of the teens, Devin Freelon, in the face with a bike lock, knocking out several of the victim’s teeth, lacerating his face and mouth, and fracturing his jaw. Mouat also attempted to strike another Black teenager with the bike lock.
“The defendant brutally attacked teenagers at a public beach because these young people are Black,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Hate-fueled violent crimes like this have no place in our communities. Protecting Americans from hate crimes is a top priority of the Justice Department and we will use every tool available to bring perpetrators to justice.”
One witness said Mr. Mouat referred to the victim and his friends with a racial slur and also called them “monsters,” according to the complaint. “I want to hit them with this cooler” and “I wish someone would say something to me so I can beat them,” he said, according to this witness.
Another witness told investigators that Mr. Mouat yelled “Black lives don’t matter” at the victim and his friends before the attack.
A friend of the victim told investigators that Mr. Mouat yelled at them twice, saying, “This is my beach.” Both times he referred to them as a racial slur, this friend said. He also said Mr. Mouat told the group that “I’ve got something for you in my car,” before he attacked the victim with the bike lock
“Our office is committed to protecting the rights of all citizens, and prosecuting hate crimes is a top priority,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Saima Mohsin for the Eastern District of Michigan. “The cowardly and unprovoked attack on this young victim is terribly disturbing. Every individual citizen has the right to not live in fear of violence or attack based on the color of their skin.”
According to the New York Times, one witness said Mr. Mouat referred to the victim and his friends with a racial slur and also called them “monsters,” according to the complaint.
“I want to hit them with this cooler” and “I wish someone would say something to me so I can beat them,” he said, according to this witness.
Another witness told investigators that Mr. Mouat yelled “Black lives don’t matter” at the victim and his friends before the attack.
A friend of the victim told investigators that Mr. Mouat yelled at them twice, saying, “This is my beach.” Both times he referred to them as a racial slur, this friend said. He also said Mr. Mouat told the group that “I’ve got something for you in my car,” before he attacked the victim with the bike lock.
“Combating hate crimes and protecting individual’s civil rights is one of the top priorities of the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Mouat was held accountable for his violent and hateful actions due to the collaborative efforts of the FBI, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Justice. The outcome of this case sends a clear message to our community that law enforcement at every level will investigate crimes motivated by hate and bring the perpetrators to justice.”