Burke Burnett
JOHN WRIGHT | Senior Political Writer
Three suspects will face hate crimes charges in the brutal beating of a gay man who was stabbed repeatedly with a broken beer bottle and thrown onto a fire.
The victim, 26-year-old Burke Burnett, said he was notified by the Lamar County District Attorney’s Office on Thursday, Nov. 10 that his attackers will face hate crimes enhancements in the case. The Paris News reported on its website Thursday that a Lamar County grand jury indicted the suspects on three counts each of aggravated assault with hate crimes enhancements. Two of the three suspects will also face enhancements as repeat offenders.
Aggravated assault is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but the hate crimes enhancements would bump up the charges, making them first-degree felonies punishable by up to life in prison.
Lamar County District Attorney Gary Young couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
“I’m super-happy about today’s news,” Burnett told Dallas Voice. “That makes me feel really good. It was a quick indictment. I’m just pleased with how Gary Young, the DA, is handling it.”
Burnett suffered second-degree burns and needed more than 30 stitches following the attack at a private party in Reno, a small town just east of Paris and 100 miles northeast of Dallas, in the early morning hours of Oct. 30.
He said his three attackers yelled anti-gay slurs as they sucker-punched him in the eye, stabbed him in the back and arm with a broken beer bottle, and threw him onto a lit burn barrel.
The case made national news after graphic photos of Burnett’s injuries were posted on Dallas Voice’s website.
The three suspects — 31-year-old James Mitchell Lasater III of Paris, 25-year-old Micky Joe Smith of Brookston, and 33-year-old Daniel Shawn Martin of Paris — were arrested in the days after the attack by the Reno Police Department.
According to the Paris News, each is now charged with one count of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Lasater and Smith were indicted as repeat offenders.
Burnett said he had the last of his stitches removed Thursday and there are no signs of permanent damage. He said the burns are “still ugly but they’re definitely healing up” and his black eye is barely noticeable anymore.
Chuck Smith, deputy director of Equality Texas, said he was pleased to learn of the indictments.
“I certainly think this was a bias-motivated crime,” Smith said. “This is what our hate crimes act is for. It’s good from the standpoint that it could result in enhanced penalties. It’s equally if not more important that it sends a message that Lamar County is not going to tolerate bias crimes.”
Texas’ James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act, passed in 2001, provides enhanced penalties for hate crimes motivated by a victim’s race, religion, color, sex, disability, sexual preference, age, or national origin. The act was signed by Republican Gov. Rick Perry.
Excellent work to all the law enforcement involved and Gary Young for prosecuting these men..The two repeat offenders should get the max for sure and I have to agree the other deserve it as well..So nice to hear that Burke is bouncing back with a positive attitude..Him healing quickly proves just that..Don’t be a victim be an advocate Burke you can help a lot of people out there..
The actions of the Lamar County DA to add Hate Crime enhancements to this alleged bias attack will certainly keep the Federal Hate Crime Investigators/Prosecutors away. Where were the areas church/political leaders as this played out? Any clergy/political leaders speaking up publicly against hatred directed at the areas second class citizens?
Finally someone took their personal beliefs out of the decision, and made the decision based on the facts,
Kuddo’s to the district attorneys office. Plain and simple, this case is a hate crime and sounds like justice will be served.
It’s great that they caught the guys who did this. It’s great that the grand jury indicted them. But the prosecutor still has to vigorously pursue the case, and a jury still has to convict and sentence these guys. Unfortunately, there are people out there who believe that gay people deserve this kind of treatment and that the suspects have committed no real serious crime. Granted, only an idiot would believe such a thing, but there are idiots like that out there–and they serve on juries. My take is that if there is enough substantial evidence, this will never make it to trial. The suspects will accept a plea and will be glad they got off as easily as they did. As for Mr. Burnett, NOTHING would make me happier than to see him fully recovered and seeing justice prevail upon these arrogant, barbaric bastards.
FREE the Reno 3!
you know what Harold…I was going to say something very hateful to you…but, I’m better than that, and better than the “Reno 3″….so…have a blessed day…bless your heart!
I can’t imagine being gay and living in TX. Having to live closeted lives in public just for the safety factor. Waaaaay too many red necks and the laws work against you .. Move to a blue state folks … life is pretty wonderful in Massachusetts to be completely honest and we would love to have you
Has Howard Witt investigated and written anything on the Burnett case yet? Good to see the good folks who witness injustice standing up in East Texas and refusing to leave their homes/hometowns.
Here’s some of his Mr Witt’s past work.
https://www.google.com/search?q=howard+witt+paris+texas&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Blacks chased from their homes in America’s ugly past
https://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2006/jul/14/blacks-chased-from-their-homes-in-americas-ugly-pa/
I think the Voice should put their mugshots on here.
I hate this. It makes the south look so bad. I’m an extremely conservative southerner and I live about 70 miles from Paris but I don’t like what happened at all. People should’nt have to love in fear because of who they love…so upsetting.