Mallory Owens of Mobile, Alabama, is recovering from grievous injuries after being attacked by her girlfriend’s brother during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Owens, 23, had originally been invited to her girlfriend’s home for Thanksgiving, but its unclear what prompted Travis Hawkins Jr.’s vicious assault, which led to brain bleed, skull fractures and crushed cheek bones.
Activists and friends quickly took to Facebook to protest that Hawkins was only charged with second-degree assault before being freed on bail. “This, at best, was an attempted murder!” the original poster wrote. “Mallory deserves justice for [this] horrific attack and, by the Grace of God, her long road to recovery.”
The commenter also claimed Hawkins’ family stood by idly during the assault and has threatened Owens’ family, who are calling the attack a hate crime.
How about we take this to the next level?
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We’ll have more news as information becomes available.
2eo
The evidence points at them standing by and watching while this occurred. Second degree assault, sadly if this wasn’t a lesbian the charge would be much greater.
Looks like attempted murder to me, I wonder how many times they’ve beaten their daughter?
Shadeaux
I hope he rots in hell. What could have possibly been so bad that she deserved this? Sounds like a set up to me if she was originally invited and they just stood idly by as he beat her.
Boytoy
Horrifying! This is attempted murder!
jenncoolva
The Hawkin’s family need to be charged with being an accessory. They failed to act to prevent the crime and if (God forbid) Mallory succumbs to her injuries then they should also be tried for First Degree Murder.
I bet the Hawkins go to church too. Such good “chrissssstians”.
AllyMom
Since we don’t have any real reporting of whether the family just stood by and watched (aforementioned commenter may not actually know what they’re talking about), I don’t want to pass judgement on them yet. (Yet being the operative word there, once we get some real facts then I’d be able to form an informed opinion on that part. Although I have to agree that it certainly sounds like a setup from what little we do know for sure.)
However, a beating THIS severe warrants equally severe punishment. Attempted manslaughter at the very LEAST.
longpastdue
You see all these “kill the gays,” things happening in the world and you think “yeah, but I live in America.” Then something like this happens in your own back yard. I mean, I always knew I lived in Alabama but I thought things were changing just a little bit.
tjw172
According to the article, there was no time stamp, no statements that it was a set up thus far, and we have one commenter that says the family stood idly by. So, with all of the gathered evidence this news article has given us, we have no way to say it was a set up. But, I agree with AllyMom, it should be Attempted Manslaughter.
Cam
This is Alabama, the court will claim that she was drunk or that he ate some sugar and let him off with no jail time and not only will he not have to pay for her hospital stay, they will probably make her have to pay for any damage to his hand he got while beating her half to death.
2eo
At least with it going viral they may now prosecute, the list of the officers and people who are working on the case have been “acquired” by some people I don’t know in any capacity for release should they not.
JAX25
The family is to blame as well. That’s not family, despite sexual orientation, no should have to experience this kind of brutality ever.
Jocy3393
This is horrible it should have never happen however not all Christians r bad or hate gays. I am Christian nd I try very hard to stay close to God. I have many gay friends nd I love them but even more I knw God loves them too. I contiene to also believe tht EVERYONE deserves the right to get marry.
Luiz
@longpastdue: Are you kidding? The US is one of the most intolerant places on the planet.
erikwm
The federal government is empowered to prosecute this case under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act if the crime is found to have been motivated by anti-gay animus.
The law was passed in 2009 and signed by President Obama. It was passed precisely for cases like this, where the charges by local authorities seem ill suited for the severity of the crime.
Cam
@Luiz:
Actually not when you compare it to most of the world. Your claim is ridiculous when gays are legally murdered in other countries, women don’t testify in court because the law says that they will simply repeat whatever the last man they were in contact with told them to say, where children can legally be sold off in marriage etc…
You don’t minimize the issue here by admitting that things are worse in some other countries.
randallreynolds
This brutal attack is caused by the deranged belief in God. Abandon Religion, improve society.
Luiz
@Cam: Don’t get me wrong, there are worse places in this world but that doesn’t change the fact that America is an oppressive country masquerading as a beacon of liberty. Your founding fathers would be ashamed if they saw what had become of their nation.
Luiz
@randallreynolds: Very true Randall although I suspect that if God was abandoned completely, people would just create more justifications to commit their disgusting acts on one another.
Gina
this is disgusting, whether it was a “hate crime,” or not. we don’t have all th efacts yet, but anytime a man does this to a woman, or anyone for that matter, he deserves to be locked up for a looongg time! uggh 🙁
Charles175
There are pluses and minuses to any form of societal changes. In the case of the LGBT communities gaining equality rights, the people that see us in a more favorable, more realistic light, are increasing in number. That’s the good. The bad is those that are stubbornly locked into their homophobia, these are digging their heels in deeper and deeper and as a result their frustrations at their losses, their homophobia is being vented via this kind of thing. From the pulpit to the congregation and from the congregation into the communities. “Religion” is only a means of public justification, an excuse like saying the bible told me so, for supposedly justifying this horrible behavior. It’s no surprise that Uganda is suddenly, after the elections here, is having a “Christmas Gift” passing of their new law. In this, it is not one’s faith in God that is evil. It is the corruption by religious fundamentalism that is. That’s why historically Christ was crucified. He dared tell the religious leaders of His time that they were flat out wrong. In return, they saw Him as a direct threat to their ill gained power and thus had Him killed. #1) There is NO Love in fundamentalism. In order for fundamentalism to thrive, spiritual Love MUST be driven out. #2) Fundamentalism DEMANDS it’s people to forgo the gift of thought, reason and understanding that God blesses His people with. This so the congregations of these can be controlled and manipulated for the sole purpose of Power and the gaining of monetary wealth over the people. Fundamentalism is pure evil. Fundamentalism is the enemy.
DarkZephyr
How brutal. I pray that this poor lady fully recovers. How hideously barbaric. I am sick to my stomach.
tsuruta
The fact that her girlfriend’s family ‘members'(plural) were present, and were taking no actions to stop this horrendeous assualt should make them accessories to the crime. This is definitely attempted murder.
william wilkerson jr
@2eo: This is a crazy act of betrayal by her girlfriend, or a horrifying wake up call about her family. I can’t believe she was stunned by her brother’s behavior. I just hope her fear coupled with the intensity of assault sent her into shock so she would not feel the pain of such a brutal beating. As for motive, we all know this could not be about taking a turkey leg without asking. The family is definitely culpable and should be held accountable. Dear Jesus, what if there were children present?
Luiz
@Charles175: “Religion” is only a means of public justification, an excuse like saying the bible told me so <<< But the bible does tell them so, time and time again.
LadyLady
Uhhhh… this is so f*cking disgusting. I hope this trash bag gets everything he deserves.
Cathy
This young woman’s face looked as if it had been run over by a car. I would imagine that her face had to have been stomped on to cause crushed cheekbones. Since an attack such as this would be capable of causing death, it seems to me that the charges should be commensurate. If she was a beautiful straight woman, I suspect the charges would have been attempted murder and the perpetrator would have been behind bars without bail. Anyone who stood by and watched an attack of this severity and did nothing to prevent it should be charged with something as well.
Charli Girl
What good is a FEDERAL hate crime if places like Alafrigenbama are exempt????
When family and friends piss and moan about Obama, show them this picture of this young lady
When idiots say we want “special rights”, show them the picture of this young ladys face!!!When is it enough?
Im so pissed about this I cant see str8!! That BOY was just insecure enough about his own “malehood” to take his
short comings out on this young lady.Peices of crap like that are a dime a dozen.Stevie Wonder could see that sh@#/^T! Anyone that doubts that the family egged him on or that its a hate crime IS PART of the PROBLEM!!!
P I S S E D!!!!
KEVINVENTION
DISGUSTING. I hope that backwoods a**hole gets his rear end STOMPED, not unlike what he did to this young woman’s face…
Will L
@Luiz: I agree with you there. We may not be officially intolerant like Africa, but we really are a backward nation because of the “good old boy” attitude with things like this happen. The USA simply has pockets of tolerance.
AllyMom
http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2012/nov/26/family-teen-beat-sisters-girlfriend-being-gay-ar-5051599/
http://blog.al.com/live/2012/11/woman_beaten_on_thanksgiving_b.html
http://ronskemp.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/mallory-owens-a-hate-crime-in-alabama/
There’s some more information for you, person-whose-name-is-extremely-accurate.
AllyMom
It IS one of us. She’s a human being. That makes her one of us.
And we should all care, because, as the saying goes, all it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. This is an evil, disgusting act perpetrated upon an individual for no other reason than hate. To say we don’t care about the act itself, if not Mallory the person, makes us no better than the mouth breather that committed it.
KEVINVENTION
This must be some family. The D.A. down in Mobile reportedly tried to prosecute Travis Hawkin’s (the defendant’s) father (Travis, Sr.) in 2011 for shooting junior, but junior wouldn’t cooperate so the case went nowhere. Now THIS. Rich, huh? BTW, in the sh*tstorm that’s erupted over this incident, an enraged poster on one of the local Alabama news stations’ website published junior’s FB page asking for Folks to show him some “love”. Be my guest. I did….https://www.facebook.com/travis.hawkins.9659?fref=ts
Dumdum
@AllyMom: Sorry I was being insensitive. I do not wish hurt on anyone but this IS a GAY BLOG. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ARE BEING KILLED. BY THE BABY MAKERS. SHOULD I LOVE THEM? DO THEY LOVE ME? IN A PERFECT WORLD, YES. IN THIS WORLD, HELL NO!!!
KEVINVENTION
P.S. Here’s a gem from his FB page listed as one of his favorite quotes: “If you want to aquire a trait or characteristic, then act like you have it and,eventually youll develop it- C.S. Lewis”… 🙁
Dumdum
HOLY CRAP, I MISREAD THIS STORY. COLOR ME TOTALLY STUPID. SORRY GUYS. NOW I FEEL SICK, I AM SO ASHAMED.
Dumdum
Guess I picked Dumdum for all the right reasons.
Alton
@Jocy3393: Maybe you should tell the Christians how Christians should act, instead of being an apologist here, among so many who have been victims of their peculiar “love”.
butterflygem
This was a SET-UP! Everyone stood around idly, that goes unsaid her “GIRLFRIEND” didn’t even intervene.
2eo
@Alton: Indeed, the attitude of many christians is to throw their hands up and say “BUT IT IS NOT US I SWEAR” and never actually address the problems with the people of THEIR FAITH, they are christians and they will be judged by their actions.
The will of moderate christians to not speak out makes them complicit, like moderate moslems who refuse to tackle extremists, they are culpable for judgment and they will be judged accordingly.
Dumdum
@DarkZephyr: I feel the same. My husband made me watch Liz and Dick. It was so bad that I kinda blacked out. Got online, read stuff, totally the wrong way. Now that I see the truth. I wish I could take it all back.
Charles175
@Luiz: My point exactly. The bible does not tell them this, it is the twisted way that they (fundamentalists) interpret it.
JustSaying
Unbelievably tragic.How could a man do such a thing to such a beautiful woman.
Charles175
@2eo: You are correct and here is the verse: (KJV)
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
It is one thing to claim being a “Christian” versus the action of living it. And living it means doing the known righteous thing (as Christ Himself did and was killed for) in the face of adversity.
Dionte
And they let him go.
Papi Balenciaga
What a shame, but I am not at all shocked by the actions of that piece of white trash, redneck, hillbilly Travis jr or his white trash, redneck, hillbilly ass family.. Typical of their kind.
KEVINVENTION
Evidently, the link I posted to Dickface’s FB page is no longer valid. Guess Travis jr. was receiving too much “love” from NORMAL people. He’ll get his Just Dues with his buffed-up, tatted, 18-year-old, bubble-butted bod in the Big House. As well he should. I can hear the Squealing now…
Shannon1981
Why isn’t this bastard charged with attempted murder? Assault indeed. This is a heinous hate crime. Also, the family is an accessory.
Shannon1981
@Jocy3393: Stop being an apologist for your hateful belief system. Stuff like this happens BECAUSE of religions like yours. You wouldn’t do this? Great. However, the majority of the members of your faith would, and, as we see here, do.
KEVINVENTION
@Shannon1981 I feel ya. This BASTARD (you hit the nail on the head) is, unfortunately, a product of his environment. Do a bit of research (I did; it’s not pretty) and, I would let you judge for yourself but his FB page has been shown too much “Love” and is no longer accessible. This whole thing — if you take it at it’s core — is, basically, a HATE CRIME — don’t let ANYONE tell you otherwise — that needs to be WIPED OUT. Not just the perps, but the underlying mindset that seems to justify this type of not-right-in-the-head, VIOLENT, really F*d-Up hatred toward another human being. Until that shit gets fixed (HELLO, STRAIGHT GUY ASSHOLES — Talkin’ ‘Bout You!), NOTHING will change. Such a shame. Dude’s got a got a really cute, bubble-butt, 18-year-old ass an some ironically ironic tatts that’ll get get’m fucked up the ass as he walks through the rest of his life (hopefully) behind bars. Who’s the Gay BITCH NOW, MF’er?!