Prosecutors usually protect the innocent inside the courtroom, but an unnamed lawyer with the Cook County District Attorney’s office took it to the streets earlier this month when he stopped two assailants from attacking a gay couple.
Sadly, in trying to prevent the assault, he brought the wrath of the bashers down on himself, getting stabbed and beaten by 21-year old Edgar Diaz and an accomplice.
Now Chicago police have arrested Diaz and charged him with one count of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery.
Diaz and the other man allegedly attacked the prosecutor after he yelled at them in an attempt to prevent a physical attack, officials said.They slashed or stabbed the prosecutor multiple times, including cutting his face, right side and arms, state’s attorney’s office spokeswoman Sally Daly said.
Police said the victim was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center with “non-life-threatening injuries.”
Illinois current has hate-crime laws on the books: Do you think this attack should qualify?
How about we take this to the next level?
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hyhybt
That would depend on the reason for the initial attack.
Bryguyf69
It probably can’t be charged as a hate crime because the assailant was only charged with attacking the prosecutor. There is no evidence that the Good Samaritan’s characteristics had anything to do with the attack. As for the original conflict, the linked article merely said that there was a verbal assault. That’s free speech and not a crime. Had the heroic prosecutor not intervened, it would likely have led to a crime but as things stand, no hate crime occurred. The article doesn’t even say whether the verbal assault was homophobic (or racist, etc).
Bryguyf69
As an aside, I hope the gay couple helped fight off the assailant and save the prosecutor’s life. He, after all, became victimized for helping them. Many people would have turned the other way. At the very least, he deserves a major display of gratitude from the couple — and the LGBT community. I feel safer knowing that heroes like him are walking the streets.