A Georgia Couple Who Committed A Racist Assault On A Black Child's Birthday Are Headed For Prison
A Georgia Couple Who Committed A Racist Assault On A Black Child's Birthday Are Headed For Prison
Jose Torres and Kayla Norton have been sentenced to a collective 19 years of prison and probation after they terrorized a black child's birthday party with a loaded shotgun and the confederate flag in 2015. Do you think this is the right sentence?
Jose Torres and Kayla Norton have been sentenced to a collective 19 years of prison and probation after they terrorized a black child's birthday party with a loaded shotgun and the confederate flag in 2015. Do you think this is the right sentence?
In 2015, shortly after the murder of nine people in the mass shooting at a predominantly black church in Charleston, a group called "Respect the Flag" drove through the streets of Douglas and Paulding Counties in Georgia, with multiple confederate flags secured to their vehicles and shotguns with ammunition. Along the way, they happened upon a black child's birthday party in a park and began to shout racial slurs, make death threats, and load one of the shotguns, beginning to threaten the families there with it.
Chief among this group in threatening the partygoers were Jose Torres and Kayla Norton, who share three children and now a nineteen year prison sentence. Torres has been sentenced to 13 years in prison and seven years' probation. Norton has been sentenced to six years in prison with nine years' probation.
According to prosecutors, Norton loaded one of the shotguns and handed it to Torres, who began to threaten the families at the birthday party with it. While Torres initially claimed he was carrying the shotgun for his own defense, witnesses have testified against this claim.
Victims and witnesses from the party, who were predominantly African-American, testified to observing the group of trucks whose passengers were hurling a litany of racial slurs at them as they passed by.
Prosecution
NPR, February 28, 2017
And while Norton has now apologized to the families, saying:
I'm so sorry that happened to you. But I want you all to know that that is not me."
Kayla Norton
NPR, February 28, 2017
One of the victims who was at the party has responded:
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... I forgive all of you. I don't have any hate in my heart. Life is too short for that.
Hyesha Bryant
NPR, February 28, 2017
For more information, you can read this article from NPR. But now, what we would like to know is...
Do you think Torres and Norton deserve to go to prison for this?
Do you think Torres and Norton deserve to go to prison for this?