Federal hate crime complaint shows man lured Arron Keahey to his house as a joke, resulting in an assault that nearly killed him
HATE CRIME | Federal prosecutors charged Brice Johnson under the hate crime law for the alleged attack on Arron Keahey on Sept. 2.
FORT WORTH — When federal investigators filed a criminal complaint to charge a Springtown man under the federal hate crime law, Arron Keahey was relieved.
Keahey spent 10 days in the hospital after an online encounter led to an assault that left him nearly dead. He started chatting with Brice Johnson on the social MeetMe app on Sept. 2.
Keahey, who lived in Dallas at the time, was in Springtown, visiting family for Labor Day weekend. Springtown is about 70 miles west of Dallas in Parker County.
Keahey said he was pleased the case is being handled by federal prosecutors because it’ll draw national attention to the case and hopefully will prevent future anti-gay acts of violence.
“I like that’s it’s under the federal law,” he told Dallas Voice. “There’s something about that that’s comforting that it’s going to a federal level, that it’ll bring national attention to it.”
Johnson allegedly invited Keahey over after the chat turned sexual. But when Keahey arrived, Johnson allegedly ambushed him, brutally beating him. Johnson later admitted to police that he assaulted Keahey after blacking out. Keahey suffered brain trauma, nerve damage and broken facial bones. He had to have facial reconstruction surgery and now has a metal eye socket.
Keahey said this week he still has memory loss from the event and is still waiting to see if some of the nerve damage will be permanent. His injuries have made it difficult for him to work, and he’s been staying in a Fort Worth homeless shelter for a month. Medical expenses led him to create an online GoFundMe account in January to help cover bills. So far he’s raised $1,905 out of his $10,000 goal.
Federal prosecutors filed a complaint last month charging Johnson, 19, with a federal hate crime under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
Johnson originally told Springtown police he found Keahey assaulted outside his house and saw a truck fleeing the scene.
He later admitted to police he assaulted him after blacking out and later drove him to the hospital.
Johnson was originally charged with a state felony for aggravated assault.
If convicted of the federal hate crime charge, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
“Suspected crimes of this nature will simply not be tolerated,” U.S. Attorney Sarah Saldana said in a statement about the case. “With the assistance of all our partners, hate crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The federal complaint reveals new details of the case, including that Johnson didn’t think the sexual discussions on the app were “for real.”
In a recorded jail conversation to family, Johnson said he invited Keahey over and it was “basically a joke that went too far and too wrong. I invited him over because he was a fag or whatever.”
Johnson had Keahey listed in his cell phone as “fagg bagg,” according to the complaint.
Johnson alleges that Keahey grabbed his crotch when the two were talking outside, but Keahey told investigators he never had any physical contact with Johnson. Johnson told investigators the alleged contact angered him, and he hit Keahey “about five times” before blacking out.
When Johnson woke up after blacking out, he found Keahey bleeding and thought he was dead, according to the complaint.
He then put Keahey into the trunk of Keahey’s car, with his wrists bound in electrical cord and drove him to a friend’s house.
Friends later convinced Johnson to take Keahey to the hospital at 7 a.m., an hour and a half after Keahey arrived at Johnson’s home.
Keahey said Johnson has continued to change his story when speaking to investigators. He said the new claim that it was a joke is an excuse that shows that he planned to assault him.
“A joke gone wrong is an excuse to me,” Keahey said. “It’s obvious by how it happened that he already had it planned.”
Prosecutors are awaiting a possible plea from Johnson. An indictment is expected by late April, court records show. Until the case moves forward, Keahey said he’s waiting for closure.
“Right now it’s a waiting game,” Keahey said.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition March 7, 2014.