TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A white Ohio man has pleaded guilty to a federal hate crime charge for beating a black stranger he and another white man saw on the street and attacked because he was black.
U.S. Department of Justice officials say Robert Paschalis pleaded guilty Tuesday in Toledo. Co-defendant Charles Butler pleaded guilty Nov. 9
Paschalis says he and Butler drove past the black man while he was unloading his truck in May and returned and attacked him while yelling racial slurs.
Authorities say the black man’s eye and eye socket bone were damaged. Police say two off-duty state troopers happened by and pulled the attackers away.
Authorities say Paschalis acknowledged in the plea the beating occurred because the man is black.
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