Death of black 19-year-old, Charges: Hate Crime

Hate Crimes have begun to sweep the nation lately.

 This particular case of a Portland,Oregon man and his girlfriend running down a 19-year-old black man isn't the first one of it's kind, but it is unique in its own ways.

On August 10th, Russell Orlando Courtier, 38, with the help of his girlfriend Colleen Hunt,35, fought and ran down Larnell Malik Bruce, 19 outside a Gresham 7-Eleven. It all started with an argument, which then turned physical. It was heard Hunt shouting during the fight,"Get him, baby, get him". While at the time, Bruce had been armed with a machete.

Soon after the argument, Courtier and Hunt got into his 1991 Jeep Wrangler and begun to chase down Bruce around the 7-Eleven parking lot. The video cameras clearly show Bruce ducking, running, and weaving around the parking lot on foot. The surveillance videos then show Courtier's jeep turning around and quickly accelerating towards Bruce.

The videos do not show the moments that Bruce was struct, but a responding officer later found Bruce unconscious on the ground bleeding from his ears and head.

Bruce died of his injuries 3 days later.

Now what caused these two people to argue and then kill a black man they did not know? It still isn't clear what the argument's had been about, but according to Courtiers Facebook pictures, he has a tattoo of the letters "EK". These initials may stand for European Kindred which is connected to a white supremacist gang. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough evidence to charge him of a hate crime.

Investigators then began to further analyze the couples motives and past records, along with witness statements and experts on white supremacists. This then led a jury to re-indict the couple Monday.

According to Oregon state law, a charge of intimidation means the defendants are accused of acting based on their race, color, religion, and disability. Courtier is pleading not guilty to charges of first-and-second degree intimidation.

Hunt denies any involvement in the death of Bruce, and pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree intimidation.

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