Two Indicted on Federal Hate Crimes Charges Against Gay Man
Two Kentucky men have been indicted in what the Department of Justice says is the first case to involve sexual orientation charged under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
The three-count indictment given by a federal grand jury in London, Ky., charges David Jason Jenkins, 37, and Anthony Ray Jenkins, 20, for the April 4, 2011 kidnapping and assault of Kevin Pennington, and for conspiring to commit the kidnapping, a DOJ statement read.
The indictment charges the men with committing a hate crime in violation of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which, once signed by President Obama in 2009, expanded federal jurisdiction to include certain assaults motivated by someone’s sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. This case marks the first federal hate crime charge alleging a violation of the sexual orientation provision of the statute.
According to the indictment, the defendants enlisted two women to trick Pennington into getting into a truck with the defendants, so that the defendants could drive him to a state park and assault him, a DOJ statement read. According to the indictment, the defendants then drove Pennington a secluded area of the Kingdom Come State Park in Kentucky and assaulted him.
If convicted, the defendants could face life in prison.
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
