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May 17, 2011

Arkansas Man First To Be Convicted Under Hate Crime Act 
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An Arkansas man has plead guilty to committing a federal hate crime for
taking part in a car chase intended to cause a vehicle driven by
Hispanic men to crash. Nineteen-year-old Sean Popejoy’s plea makes him
the first person to be convicted of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd,
Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which was enacted in 2009. Popejoy now
faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Both Matthew Shepard and
James Byrd, Jr. died as the result of violent hate crimes committed more
than a decade ago.



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