Allen County, Indiana – Following a weekend attack at Pike’s Pub that injured a Black man, Indiana State Representative Phil Gia Quinta is calling for stronger hate crime laws.
The viral video shows the man, now identified as James Simmons, being beaten, kicked, and racially abused by members of the Outlaws, a white motorcycle gang.
In a statement to WANE 15, GiaQuinta said he was “saddened and angered” by the incident and cited what he sees as a gap in Indiana law.
Indiana passed a bias crimes law in 2019, but critics claim it is among the weakest in the country. It excludes specific protected categories such as race, gender identity, and religion.
This makes prosecutions more difficult and penalties less clear.
“In 2019, the General Assembly passed a sentencing bill that allows for a judge to consider whether ‘the person committed the offense with bias due to the victim’s or the group’s real or perceived characteristic…’ when sentencing,” GiaQuinta continued. “This does not count as an actual hate crime law.”
GiaQuinta, a Democrat from Fort Wayne, stated that he and his colleagues voted against the legislation at the time because “it didn’t go far enough.” He argued that hate crime laws should have separate penalties for bias-motivated offenses.
“Since House Democrats do not control the House of Representatives, we are dependent on House Republicans’ willingness to take any given proposal seriously,” said the speaker.
He claims he and other Democrats voted against the bill because it “lacked teeth” and did not prevent bias-motivated violence.
Indiana is now one of only four states without a stand-alone hate crime law.
GiaQuinta says House Democrats will continue to push for a real hate crime law, but with Republicans in charge, bipartisan support will be required.
The investigation into the Pike’s Pub assault is still ongoing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Allen County Sheriff’s Department.
