Student's Beating Investigated As Hate Crime

[TexasStooge]

CLEBURNE, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- A party earlier this month resulted in the severe beating of one Cleburne High School student, and authorities believe the victim's sexual orientation prompted the attack.

The assault took place Oct. 3 during a party at the Northridge Court apartments in Cleburne. Investigators characterized the attack as a hate crime because the 17-year-old victim, whose name has not been released, was targeted after three suspects made references to the student's sexual orientation.

Witnesses said the altercation occurred when the victim and some friends arrived at the party, which took place at the apartment where suspect 19-year-old Billy Calahan lives. Calahan's mother said the confrontation was not motivated by hate.

"When they showed up (Oct. 3), they were asked to leave," Tammie Hoskins, Calahan's mother, said. "They all had been drinking, and they just didn't want to leave. I guess one thing just led to another."

The suspects -- Christopher Lathers, 18, Cory Gibson, 17, and Calahan -- were arrested. One suspect subsequently bonded out of jail.

A Cleburne Police Department representative described a set of circumstances surrounding the beating that was different from the mother's account.

"After he got there, there were some questions asked to him about his sexual orientation," police Sgt. Amy Knoll said. "He didn't answer the questions. He went to his friends and said, 'Hey, we need to leave.' As he was getting ready to leave, the suspects came up behind him and started hitting him."

If investigators charge the suspects with a hate crime, the case would be raised from aggravated assault to first-degree felony assault.

The alleged hate-crime motive surprised residents and police in the small town, southwest of Fort Worth, Texas.

"I don't know of a crime like this happening in Cleburne before," Knoll said. "I mean, we have assaults, we have fights among kids and things like that, but anybody singled out because of a specific reason like their sexual orientation or their race or something like that is very rare here."

The victim had surgery Wednesday to repair multiple broken bones in his face. Doctors anticipate the student will need further reconstructive surgery.