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Lady Gaga Snerd


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28 Years in Prison for Racial Slurs and Death Threats
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White couple weep as judge gives them 28 years in prison for interrupting a black child's eighth birthday party with Confederate flags, racist slurs and armed threats

  • Kayla Rae Norton, 25, and Jose Ismael Torres, 26 were sentenced to prison
  • They received varying years for hate crimes in a Douglasville, Georgia, court 
  • Along with members of group 'Respect the Flag' they racially terrorized a family 
  • An African-American group was celebrating an eight-year-old's birthday in 2015
  • Norton and Torres drove through with Confederate flags and spewed racial slurs 

By Anna Hopkins For Dailymail.com

PUBLISHED: 16:10 EST, 27 February 2017 | UPDATED: 04:21 EST, 28 February 2017

 

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A young Georgia couple cried in court as they were sentence to a total of 28 years in prison on Monday for committing a hate crime at a young child's birthday party.

Kayla Rae Norton, 25, and Jose Ismael Torres, 26, drove with a caravan of trucks waving confederate flags and antagonizing a Douglasville, Georgia family as they celebrated a boy's eighth birthday party in 2015.

Norton expressed regret for her actions that day as she was forgiven in a court room by one of the party's attendees, who told them that 'life is too short for hate'. 

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Kayla Rae Norton, 25, and Jose Ismael Torres, 26, drove with a caravan of trucks waving Confederate flags and antagonizing a Douglasville, Georgia, family as they celebrated a boy's eighth birthday party in 2015
 
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Kayla Rae Norton, 25, and Jose Ismael Torres, 26, drove with a caravan of trucks waving Confederate flags and antagonizing a Douglasville, Georgia, family as they celebrated a boy's eighth birthday party in 2015

The two cried in court as they were both sentenced to serve years in prison for committing a hate crime at a young child's birthday party
 
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The two cried in court as they were both sentenced to serve years in prison for committing a hate crime at a young child's birthday party

Superior Court Judge William McClain delivered Torres a sentence to 20 years, with 13 served in prison, and Norton was given 15 years with six to serve in prison.

Upon their release, the two have been barred from Douglas County. After interrupting the party they also terrorized a nearby Wal-Mart and convenience store.

The couple were members of a group called 'Respect the Flag,' and were joined by a caravan of other people who shouted at adults and children that they would 'kill y'all n*****s,' while proudly displaying confederate flags.

'I do accept responsibility for what I've done,' Norton said through tears
 
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Torres only shed tears when three family members took the stand to describe him as a devoted father, hardworking plumber and volunteer football coach
 
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Norton, left, and Torres, right have three children together. Torres only shed tears when three family members took the stand to describe him as a devoted father, hardworking plumber and volunteer football coach

 
Police called after Confederate flag group invades child's party
 
 
 
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'I do accept responsibility for what I've done,' Norton said through tears.

The couple were members of a group called 'Respect the Flag,' and were joined by a caravan of other people who shouted at adults and children that they would 'kill y'all n*****s,' while proudly displaying confederate flags

The couple were members of a group called 'Respect the Flag,' and were joined by a caravan of other people who shouted at adults and children that they would 'kill y'all n*****s,' while proudly displaying confederate flags

She addressed the victims who were present in court, saying: 'What happened to you is absolutely awful. 

'From mother to mother, I cannot imagine having to explain what that word means.'

Norton and Torres have three children together. Torres only shed tears when three family members took the stand to describe him as a devoted father, hardworking plumber and volunteer football coach.

Norton, however, spoke to the tearful victims in the packed courthouse.

'The worst decision I've ever made in my life was to not walk away when I had the chance,' Norton said.

One party attendee Hyesha Bryant clutched her chest and told the couple she forgave them, and had 'no hate' in her heart.

One party attendee Hyesha Bryant clutched her chest and told the couple she forgave them, and had 'no hate' in her heart
 
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One party attendee Hyesha Bryant clutched her chest and told the couple she forgave them, and had 'no hate' in her heart

She also said: 'I never thought this would be something I'd have to endure in 2017,' 

'As adults and parents, we have to instill in our children the values of right and wrong. That moment you had to choose to leave, you stayed.'

Judge McClain noted to the defendants that their actions came less than a month after the fatal shooting of nine black men and women at a historic church in Charleston by 22-year-old Dylann Roof. 

He was recently given the death penalty.

 

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-- Edited by Lady Gaga Snerd on Tuesday 28th of February 2017 06:03:38 AM

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burns07


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wonder how this case would have played out had the perpetrators been from blk lives matter and this had been some white kid's party

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FNW


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My thoughts as well, burns07.

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Mary Zombie


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While I think their behavior was reprehensible I don't know if you should go to prison for being predjudiced.

morally maybe but are we going to charge people for their thoughts next?

harrassment charges definitely but they didn't physically touch anyone no?



-- Edited by Mary Zombie on Tuesday 28th of February 2017 01:25:38 PM

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FNW


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I agree, Mary. Seems a bit extreme.

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lilyofcourse


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Seems like a violation of one of those pesky ammendments.



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Mary Zombie


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I hope they appeal. I think they're awful mind you but prison for basically bullying?

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FNW wrote:

I agree, Mary. Seems a bit extreme.

 It is extreme, they def should appeal, the liberal jsutice system which ignores the Constitution and Bill of Rights is way out of control.



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Lawyerlady


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The confederate flag thing is protected free speech by the 1st amendment. So is calling people the "n" word. However, telling people you are going to kill them is not - that is illegal.

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Of course, if the appeal attorney shows the conviction was even partially based on the free speech part, it should be overtu

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Ohfour


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I think the headline is misleading. They also:

"Upon their release, the two have been barred from Douglas County. After interrupting the party they also terrorized a nearby Wal-Mart and convenience store."

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lilyofcourse


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No one ever has a right to harass another.

I think the judgement was too harsh.



I mean, there are more jails, prisons, and juvenile lock down than schools in America.

 

I think there needs to be an alternative to this kind of thing.

Maybe a lot of community service, house arrest or limited freedoms.

 

But that's a ridiculous prison term.

 

Killers have had less time.



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cadiver


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Lawyerlady wrote:

Of course, if the appeal attorney shows the conviction was even partially based on the free speech part, it should be overtu

The guy also pointed a shotgun at the people while making the threats.  He had three counts of assault with a deadly weapon. 



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"One party attendee Hyesha Bryant clutched her chest and told the couple she forgave them, and had 'no hate' in her heart"

This brought prickly tears to my eyes. What a beautiful person.

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cadiver wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:

Of course, if the appeal attorney shows the conviction was even partially based on the free speech part, it should be overtu

The guy also pointed a shotgun at the people while making the threats.  He had three counts of assault with a deadly weapon. 

 Well, that's a rather relevant point, isn't it?  Changes the whole matter.  You'd think that would be important enough information to include in the story, don't you think?



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lilyofcourse


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Why was that nor in the article?


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cadiver


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Here is one with a little more detail>

abc7.com/news/2-sentenced-for-threatening-violence-at-black-childs-party-in-georgia/1777233/

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. --
A Georgia judge sentenced two people to lengthy prison terms for their role in the disruption of a black child's birthday party with Confederate flags, racial slurs and armed threats.

Jose Ismael Torres, 26, will spend 13 years in prison; Kayla Rae Norton, 25, is to serve six years, Atlanta news outlets report.


Both wept as the sentences were handed down Monday in Douglas County, west of Atlanta.



"Their actions were motivated by racial hatred," said Superior Court Judge William McClain.

The judge ordered the two permanently banished from Douglas County once they are released.

The two are the last of 15 people charged in the confrontation at the 8-year-old's party, which took place in Douglasville in July 2015. Only four were charged with felonies. The other two pleaded guilty and are serving shorter prison terms.


Torres and Norton were found guilty of yelling racial slurs and threatening to kill partygoers, even the kids. Prosecutors said Torres pointed a shotgun at the party.





"This is behavior that even supporters of the Confederate battle flag can agree is criminal and shouldn't be allowed," Douglas County District Attorney Brian Fortner said in a statement.

Norton was sentenced on one count of violating Georgia's street gang act and one count of making terroristic threats. Torres was sentenced on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of terroristic threats and one count of violating the street gang act.

The disruption of the birthday party took place less than a month after white supremacist Dylann Roof killed nine African-Americans at a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina. Roof, who was sentenced to death for his crime, brandished the battle flag in several photographs that came to light after his arrest. He said it had been his intent to kill black people and start a race war.

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lilyofcourse


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A lot more information and a lot less hyperbolic.



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Lady Gaga Snerd


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Threatening people with death threats obviously needs to be charged.

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burns07


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have got to wonder about some people--don't care what color you are, if you came to our kid's(or one of our friend's kid's)birthday party and started threatening people with violence and especially if you had a weapon you'd best have prepared for a long tour in icu or a short trip to the morgue--we would put you down



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WYSIWYG


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It's ignorant people like that, that cause the real meaning, history, and heritage of the flag to be forgotten.

To those idiots, I'd just like to say: "Thanks a lot, morons. You just set back the cause of bringing the history of the flag back to reality by a couple of decades. You can't get people to respect the flag by using it to terrorize the very same people you are wanting to teach."

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