Richmond Hate Crime Results In Prison Sentence

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Two Texas men have been sentenced to three years in state prison after they pleaded no contest Thursday to felony assault and a hate crime enhancement for a 2016 attack in Richmond, according to Contra Costa County District Attorney Mark Peterson.

Chase Little and Colton Leblanc were accused of attacking Maan Singh Khalsa, a Richmond resident and observer of the Sikh faith, prosecutors said.

On Sept. 25, Khalsa was stopped at a red light at Hilltop Road, dressed in traditional Sikh clothes and on his way to a religious ceremony when Little and Leblanc started throwing beer cans at his vehicle, prosecutors said.

The two men then exited their pickup truck, repeatedly punched the victim in the face, removed his turban and cut his unshorn hair, a sacred article of his faith, prosecutors said.

During the assault, Khalsa suffered a swollen black eye, damaged teeth and several knife wounds to his left hand.

One of the wounds required stitches, and due to an infection from the knife wound, Khalsa's pinky finger had to be amputated.

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock

Also See:

• Denny's Horror: Man Douses Hayward Restaurant Patrons With Gasoline, Tries To Start Fire, Police Say
• Reward Offered For Armed Robbery Suspect
• Lafayette Burglary Suspects: Police Release Photos
• Identified: Accused Serial Arsonist's Name, Photo Released
• Amid housing crisis, why 2 out of 5 young Californians live at home
• John Muir Doctor Arrested In Sexual Assault Case