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Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg is backing legislation to fill a legal gap that allows hate crimes defendants to avoid appropriate charges.
Aronberg announced his support Dec. 16 of twin bills Sen. Tina Polsky and Rep. Emily Slosberg filed in response to the June defacing of a Pride Month intersection in Delray Beach.
Aronberg charged the driver, Alexander Jerich, with criminal mischief and reckless driving but had to drop an evidence of prejudice charge. Florida’s 30-year-old hate crime law doesn’t include government, public and private organizations as potential victims.
This legislation will close that “glaring loophole,” Aronberg said.
– Jesse Scheckner, Florida Politics