Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Criminal Law

: Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Hamilton County Theft: Choosing Victims Based on Race or Ethnicity is a Stand-Alone Crime and Sentence Enhancement Factor

By Baker Associates

If race or ethnicity is a factor in determining the target of a Tennessee theft crime, the state may well ?throw the book? at the defendant by arguing for sentence enhancement and alleging a civil rights intimidation offense. The facts of the case, State v. Lamar, provide an illustration. On May 23, 2007, in Hamilton County, Franklin Lamar (defendant) and two others hatched a plan to rob a single Hispanic woman who lived down the road from where the defendant lived. According to Mr. Lamar?s testimony, he and an accomplice were ?talking about these little Mexicans up the street?[and] that they be having a lot of money on them whatever.? They walked up to the woman?s home, pushed in the door, and stole the victim?s piggy bank containing approximately $100 in change...continue to full post

Full post as published by Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog on June 10, 2009 (boomark / email).