Mallory Owens, who was savagely beaten over the Thanksgiving holiday by her girlfriend’s brother, claims that the attack was not a hate crime. Girlfriend Ally Hawkins agrees, saying that the true reason “will come out.”
Owens’ family had originally told reporters that Mallory was beaten for being gay. Dismissing the incident as a “bad bad night,” Owens told WKRG that though “a lot of things have happened” between them, she does not hate Travis Hawkins, Jr., her accused attacker.
“It’s not a hate crime at all,” said Ally Hawkins. “We both know the reason why this happened, and it doesn’t make any excuses for him, I’m not defending him at all. I know why he was angry, and that will come out.”
Hawkins Jr. was charged with second-degree assault and was later freed on a bond. Now he is apparently “in hiding” – “fearing for his life” after receiving death threats, according to his lawyer James Byrd. Byrd accuses the online community of trying and convicting his client without fully knowing the details.
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“People get a story and go with it, and before it’s over its an entirely different animal,”Byrd said. “People have taken this and overreacted, and made it something that it’s not.”
Mallory Owens’ mother Kristi Taylor has met with Mobile’s District Attorney in an attempt to make the attack into something it was: attempted murder. More details on the case will come to light when Travis Hawkins, Jr. goes to court on December 10.
2eo
Absolutely the words of someone frightened for her life. Absolutely none commital about motive and completely dismissive of the event.
Classic intimidation.
Dakotahgeo
Sounds like Mallory is getting ‘paid off’ by Hawkin’s lawyer or both Hawkins AND his lawyer. It wouldn’t be the first time that has happened. It will be interesting what Hawkin’s story will be when the Judge and the Court confronts him!
2eo
Also, given who has made those threats Mr. Byrd I would take them VERY VERY seriously.
samfw
What a mess! And what are the odds that the attorney for a man accused of a hate crime would be named James Byrd?
andy_d
Hate crime or not, ANY beating is uncalled for and to beat someone this badly is doubly so.
Cam
Here is my guess as to what happened.
Previously in a place like Alabama, if you said that you beat somebody because they were gay you got off or got a much lighter sentance. That is why the family said that.
Now with hate crimes, they suddenly go into a panic because they can’t believe that the feds might come in and the guy may actually go to jail with real time on his sentance so they have changed their story.
Rockindad
Oh please Mallory -Please tell us the REAL reason why he beat the living crap outta you. I’m sure it must be a GOOD one. Jeez….
2eo
@Cam: Indeed, we had a case in Scotland last year where the defendants tried the “gay panic” defence, fortunately it was thrown out and its tenets formally applied uniformally in the UK [Scotland has its own law system independent of England and Wales] rendering the defence invalid, as it should be.
It’s sad that in the US people can still get away with killing and brutalising black people and homosexuals using these panic and self defence farces.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
Yeah, hate to say it, but sounds like she’s trying to protect her girlfriends brother from major jail time for a hate crime.
jkb
Whatever the reason, what kind of lame ass bitch of a guy would beat up a female? I’m glad he’s in hiding…asshole.
MK Ultra
I think she is head over heals in love with her gf and that’s why she is protecting the brother now. To me that’s very unfortunate. If he is capable of doing this to one person, he’ll do it again. Especially if it wan’t over something serious like hate, but over something frivolous like a disagreement.
Charli Girl
That boy is threatened by lesbians like EVERY insecure str8 male!!!!
Is there a BETTER reason to attempt murder other than HATE???
How bizarre that the boys attorney’s name is James Byrd…
Mjl-428
well can we hear this reason? he’s pretty screwed either way. and lawyers are supposed to defend their client. that’s what they’re paid for. but this is something I wanna know, because he’s still in trouble for it
dunivant66
If I were her, I would run far away from her hillbilly relatives!
longpastdue
Frankly I have to agree that in this situation we as a community pretty much assumed that just because a gay person got beaten up in the South it had to be a hate crime. I have to say that while it is completely and utterly contemptible to beat someone this badly for any reason I can completely understand how it might have been for other unjustifiable reasons than simply her being gay. I live in the South and I have had people who knew I was gay try to fight me, at no point have I ever been attacked for being gay. Do not think I am defending his actions but also we need to understand that as being gay becomes more accepted we will continue to see more cases where perhaps we are wronged but it doesn’t mean discrimination played a part.
Mjl-428
@longpastdue: true, but I REALLY wanna hear this reason now
KARUADAM
” FIND HIM! KILL HIM!”