Texas man charged with hate crime after filming ‘Knockout’ attack denied bail
A Texas man charged with a hate crime after filming himself attacking a 79-year-old man has been denied bail. U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy deemed Conrad Barrett, 27, a flight risk and danger to the community.
Barrett, who is white, faces federal hate crimes for the attack.
Barrett filmed the attack on his cellphone, prosecutors said. And in other videos on his phone, he used a derogatory word describing black people and suggested he “found the perfect African American suspect” to go after, according to the federal criminal complaint.
The victim, who is black, was hospitalized for more than four days, and required surgery to repair his broken jaw. While “Knockout” is not a new game, it has gained notoriety in recent months. Thrill-seekers sucker-punch unsuspecting victims for amusement, in hopes of knocking them out with a single blow.
Media outlets have been criticized for their coverage of the sport, which tends to highlight assailants who are black and victims who are white. Up until this point, all of the Knockout attack stories have featured black teens as assailants.
Barrett is accused of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
Should Barrett be charged with a hate crime?
Should he be denied bail?
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