[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 10175]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      MATTHEW SHEPARD ACT OF 2007

  Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the need for 
hate crimes legislation. Each Congress, Senator Kennedy and I introduce 
hate crimes legislation that would strengthen and add new categories to 
current hate crimes law, sending a signal that violence of any kind is 
unacceptable in our society. Likewise, each Congress I have come to the 
floor to highlight a separate hate crime that has occurred in our 
country.
  On Thursday evening, May 15, 2008, in Sacramento, CA, a 23-year-old 
man was sitting in his car at a gas station when he was approached by 
three men. According to police, one of the men asked him if he was gay 
and he responded that he was. When the man then exited the car, he was 
attacked by the three men as they yelled homophobic slurs. Micah 
Jontomo Tasaki, 21, Gregory Lee Winfield, 20, and Robert Lee Denor, 19, 
were arrested at the gas staion where the attack occurred in connection 
with the assault. Luckily for the victim, he did not sustain injuries 
serious enough to necessitate a hospital visit. A Sacramento police 
officer investigating the crime has called it a ``gay bashing'' and a 
hate crime.
  I believe that the Government's first duty is to defend its citizens, 
to defend them against the harms that come out of hate. Federal laws 
intended to protect individuals from heinous and violent crimes 
motivated by hate are woefully inadequate. This legislation would 
better equip the Government to fulfill its most important obligation by 
protecting new groups of people as well as better protecting citizens 
already covered under deficient laws. I believe that by passing this 
legislation and changing current law, we can change hearts and minds as 
well.

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