Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Utah Man Who Beat Latino Father And Son After Reportedly Yelling 'I Hate Mexicans' Won't Be Charged With Hate Crime

Utah Man Who Beat Latino Father And Son After Reportedly Yelling 'I Hate Mexicans' Won't Be Charged With Hate Crime
Photos by Salt Lake County, Veronica Lopez via the Salt Lake Tribune

A hate crime will not be filed against Alan Dale Covington, 50, who beat a Mexican man and his son with a 5-foot metal pole.


Due to a technicality in the law, Covington will face four felony charges of aggravated assault and weapons charges but no hate crime. This is due to the state laws in Utah even though he repeatedly shouted "I hate Mexicans. I'm here to kill someone" and "I'm here to kill a Mexican" during the attack on Jose Lopez, 51, and his son Luis, 18.

Covington allegedly attacked the two men inside the tire shop the senior Lopez has owned for four years after immigrating to the United States from Mexico. Lopez's daughter told the Salt Lake Tribune:

"My family feels targeted. They're very shaken up. It makes my blood boil. What do they want next? Do they want him to kill someone to see that he's dangerous?"

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill explained there would not be charges of a hate crime to BuzzFeed, It is due to the law in Utah which only allows for upgrading certain misdemeanors to hate crimes.

Covington was charged with multiple felonies.

Gill added:

"I as a state prosecutor cannot give them a measure of justice proportionate to the injury that they're feeling, and that truly is an injustice. It basically leaves us without any kind of hate crime statutory framework. It's a farce is what it is"

He went on to say he was disappointed in Utah lawmakers:

"They have one on the books and we pat ourselves on the back. It's an absolute abdication of responsibility by my legislature given the gravity of these offenses and the collateral impact it has on the rest of the community."


Although Jose Lopez escaped with lacerations on his arm and bruising to his back, his teenage son underwent a three-hour surgery for a massive blow to the head which required Luis to receive a titanium plate on the right side of his shattered face.

Utah has not prosecuted a hate crime in 20 years.

Meanwhile it will be a long recovery for Luis. A GoFundMe page was set up to help the family pay for medical bills.

People are outraged this cannot be considered a hate crime.















No word whether Utah is looking at changing their hate crime laws to allow them to be used.

H/T: Huffington Post, Buzzfeed

More from Trending

Serena Williams
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for SKIMS

Serena Williams Sparks Debate After Calling Out New York City Hotel For Cotton Plant Decor

Uh oh, Serena Williams said some words with her mouth, and you know what that means: The internet is furious about it!

The tennis champion is under fire online after remarking upon a decor choice in a New York City hotel: A cotton plant.

Keep ReadingShow less
Harleen Grewal
KNN News/YouTube

'MAGA Dentist' Slammed After She's Caught On Video Joking About Providing Worse Care For Liberal Patients

Self-proclaimed "MAGA dentist" Harleen Grewal is facing backlash after video went viral of her claiming to harm patients uncomfortable with her MAGA-themed office.

@

Keep ReadingShow less
Meghan McCain; Screenshot of Violet Affleck
Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; @luckytan/X

Meghan McCain Dragged After Ripping 'Nepo Baby' Violet Affleck For Speaking At The UN

Former The View co-host Meghan McCain was called out after she criticized Violet Affleck, the daughter of actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, after she spoke candidly at the United Nations about the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Affleck discussed both COVID-19 and its lingering form, long COVID, explaining that she herself has been affected by the latter. She noted that the condition can linger well past the initial infection, bringing symptoms such as dizziness and shortness of breath.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Pete Buttigieg; Tucker Carlson
@onwithkaraswisher/Instagram; Patrick Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Pete Buttigieg Offers Hilarious Reaction To Tucker Carlson Claiming He's A 'Fake Gay Guy'

Speaking during an appearance on the podcast On with Kara Swisher, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had a hilarious reaction to far-right personality Tucker Carlson's bizarre claim that Buttigieg is actually faking his sexuality for clout within the Democratic Party.

Earlier this month, Carlson laid out his bizarre conspiracy theory that Buttigieg is actually a "fake gay guy."

Keep ReadingShow less

People Who Discovered Someone Was Living A Double Life Share What Went Down

Secrets always have a way of coming out.

At least 99% of most secrets, that's what it feels like anyway.

Keep ReadingShow less