Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho man accused of a felony hate crime has been acquitted.
The Coeur d'Alene Press reports a jury on Thursday found 52-year-old Richard Sovenski, of Hayden, not guilty of malicious harassment, but guilty of a misdemeanor charge of battery.
The charges stemmed from an incident last summer in which Sovenski was filmed in a McDonald's parking lot screaming obscenities and slurs at teenagers in a church youth group.
Deputy prosecutor Arthur Verharen said Sovenski yelled racist and homophobic remarks at the teenagers and their adult supervisors.
Defense attorney Michael Palmer said Sovenski was dealing with family issues including his wife's health — she had just completed her ninth shoulder surgery — as well as on-the-job stress when he stopped for beers before heading to McDonald's.
District Judge Scott Wayman called for a sentencing hearing within 30 days of Thursday's verdict.
___
Information from: Coeur d'Alene Press, http://www.cdapress.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
