Bill advances to make it a hate crime to attack police

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky lawmakers have advanced a bill that would make it a hate crime to attack law enforcement officers and other first responders.

The measure cleared the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. The bill's opponents included members of the Black Lives Matter movement.

State Rep. Kevin Bratcher, the bill's lead sponsor, says people attacking first responders should face "the full brunt of Kentucky law."

Louisville attorney Julie Kaelin says the bill offers nothing but "lip service." She says adding hate-crimes status would not give judges the authority to increase penalties for attacking law officers or other first offenders.

A judge could cite the finding of a hate crime in denying probation at the time of sentencing. Such a finding could be cited by the parole board in denying parole.

Bill advances to make it a hate crime to attack police

I'm not a big fan of hate crime legislation. If someone is killed as a result of a crime that is not deemed a hate crime are they any less dead?

Also, it seems the laws are not evenly enforced.

That said I have no problem with crimes against first responders gaining special status.

I'm not a big fan of hate crime legislation. If someone is killed as a result of a crime that is not deemed a hate crime are they any less dead?

 

Also, it seems the laws are not evenly enforced.

 

That said I have no problem with crimes against first responders gaining special status.

I am with you @All Tell - As a retired Law Enforcement Officer I am not a big fan of hate crimes period. In my experience all it did was complicate everything and the focus often times switched from the actual elements of the crime to "hate" portion of the statue.

Additionally, at least with the Police (I would have to refresh my memory on the other first responders) attacking a Police Officer (even attempting to hit him/her) is already a Felony vs. being a Misdemeanor for most other classes of people in Kentucky.

Finally, I agree with the comment in the opening post, this strikes me as lip service more than anything real or needed.

I am opposed to all hate crime laws. I do support allowing judges and juries wide latitude in sentencing criminals. They should be free to consider motive in the sentencing phase of a trial and if the perpetrator of the crime's intent is to create chaos and terrorize other police officers, then the sentence should fit the crime. "Hate" is an emotion and I do not believe that the government has any right to criminalize thought. People should be punished for criminal acts, not for politically incorrect thoughts.

I agree, I think that ALL Hate Crime legislation is unnecessary and as someone said...just lip service.

I agree with there being stiffer penalties for actions taken again against law enforcement officers. However, as G said, they are already penalized more by legal definition. You hear charges such as "assault of a police officer" which to my understanding is different than "assault".

I agree with there being stiffer penalties for actions taken again against law enforcement officers. However, as G said, they are already penalized more by legal definition. You hear charges such as "assault of a police officer" which to my understanding is different than "assault".

Very different, with a Police Officer even an attempted Assault is a Felony. With a regular citizen the victim has to be seriously injured to the point where the victim will never be the same or the assault has to be with a weapon for it to qualify for a Felony.

In the grand scheme of things we are talking Horseshoes and Atom Bombs.