A Michigan has plead guilty to a federal hate crime charge after he punched another man in the face because he believed he was gay. According to The Advocate:
On March 7, 2011, Everett Dwayne Avery, 36, struck Justin Alesna, 23 in the face while the two were customers at a Detroit convenience store. Alesna was standing in line behind Avery, who told Alesna he was standing too close. Alesna backed up, but Avery continued hurling antigay slurs at Alesna.
After Alesna purchased his cigarettes, he tried to leave the store, where Avery again confronted him with epithets and allegedly showed Alesna the gun he was carrying. Avery then punched Alesna in the face, fracturing his eye socket and inducing other facial injuries.
Alesna filmed a video recounting the attack, his wounds still clearly visible on-screen. In that video, Alesna alleges that bystanders, including store employees, did nothing to intervene and even laughed during the attack. Alesna said that when he asked the store clerk to call the police, the clerk refused and told Avery to "Kill it, bro."
Avery faces up to ten years in prison, and his sentencing is scheduled for November 28. Watch the video below.
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