| For Immediate Release Case # 11HF0807
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Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
CAUCASIAN MAN SENTENCED TO STATE PRISON FOR UNPROVOKED HATE CRIME ATTACK OF TWO HISPANIC MEN
SANTA ANA – A Caucasian man was sentenced today to two years and eight months in state prison for attacking two Hispanic men without provocation outside of a 7-Eleven. Chad Martin Jurjaks, 31, Costa Mesa, pleaded guilty to the court Jan. 19, 2012, to two felony counts of hate crime battery causing injury. The People argued for a minimum sentence of four years in state prison based on the nature of the crime and the defendant’s prior history of aggressive and violent behavior.
At approximately 10:30 p.m. on March 5, 2011, 42-year-old John Doe, his wife, cousin, and 26-year-old nephew John Doe #2, were walking to the doors of a 7-Eleven convenience store in Costa Mesa. The victims are Hispanic. Jurjaks, who is Caucasian, was intoxicated and confronted the victims as they approached. Jurjaks then attacked the victims without provocation and yelled “F****** Mexicans!” three times as he punched John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 one time each in the head.
Jurjaks then walked away and the victims called 911. Costa Mesa Police officers arrived at the scene and arrested the defendant near the convenience store.
Hate crime laws prohibit the use or threat of force by any individual in order to intimidate, interfere with, oppress, or threaten any other person from exercising any right secured by the U.S. Constitution or State or Federal laws based on “race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, or disability.”
During the sentencing today, a written victim impact statement from John Doe #2 was presented to the court in which he explained that he is still afraid to go out after being attacked by Jurjaks for no other reason than his ethnicity and that he continues to be in therapy as a result.
Deputy District Attorney Andrew Katz of the Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted this case.
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