Posted on May 3, 2010

Why Hasn’t Hampton Assailant Been Charged With a Hate Crime?

Dave Gibson, Norfolk Examiner, April 29, 2010

On Wednesday, the man believed to be responsible for an attack on a disabled woman, William Douglas, 25, turned himself into Hampton police.

Around 11:15 p.m, on Friday, April 16, Douglas allegedly followed 59-year-old Sylvia Hollingsworth out of a 7-Eleven at the corner of North King Street and Rip Rap Road in Hampton.

As she got into her car, he attacked her.

According to the police report, he punched the woman in the face, neck and arms and repeatedly slammed her legs with the car door. Throughout the ordeal, the woman was subjected to a tirade of racist profanity.

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The victim told WVEC 13 News: “Never once did he try to take my keys. Never once did he ask or try to take my pocketbook or any money. He was just out to hurt.”

Hollingsworth continued: “It leaves me hurt, and I feel like I’m a victim of a hate crime. Just in his own words, he hated whites and he was going to kill my ‘f–ing’ white ass, as he put it, and that’s what he was trying to do.”

Hollingsworth, who walks with a cane, is still recovering from the attack.

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Despite the evidence pointing to a racially motivated attack, Douglas has not been charged with a hate crime.