A Calgary indiginous woman who knocked out a white woman’s tooth on November 1 while yelling “I hate white people” did not commit a hate crime, according to privincial court Judge Harry Van Harten.
The victim, Lydia White, was standing outside a Calgary pub talking to another person whne Crowchief walked up and yelled “I hate white people,” before punching White in the face – knocking out a tooth. Upon her arrest, Crowchief told police “the white man was out to get her,” according to the Calgary Herald.
Yet Judge Van Harten didn’t see any racial motivation whatsoever…
Provincial court Judge Harry Van Harten, in a written decision, said Tamara Crowchief’s motivation for striking Lydia White was not related to racial bias.
Crown prosecutor Karuna Ramakrishnan, who had sought a sentence of 12 to 15 months, argued Crowchief’s unprovoked attack last Nov. 1, amounted to a hate crime.
But Van Harten agreed with defence counsel Adriano Iovinelli that there was insufficient evidence to establish Crowchief attacked White because of the colour of her skin.
“There is no evidence either way about what the offender meant or whether . . . she holds or promotes an ideology which would explain why this assault was aimed at this victim,” said Van Harten during his ruling. “I am not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that this offense was, even in part, motivated by racial bias.”
At a court hearing earlier this year, White said she’s still confused by the assault.
“I still get angry when I think about it,” she said. “I don’t understand why this woman did this. I never did anything to her. Never even spoke to her.”
Crowchief, who had been in jail over six months before Trial, was given 12 months probation “and ordered her to get psychological and psychiatric counselling, as well as counselling for substance abuse,” the Herald reported. She is also banned from drinking or going to a business that specializes in the sale of alcohol.
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