Hate Crime Charge Dropped In Death Of Bowie State Student: Report

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A judge on Tuesday dismissed a hate crime charge against a University of Maryland student accused of killing a Bowie State student at bus stop on the UMd campus. The trial for Sean Urbanski, 24, began last week. Urbanski, who is white, is accused of killing Richard Collins III, 23, a black man and a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, in cold blood while he was waiting for an Uber after visiting friends on campus on May 20, 2017.

Police arrested Urbanski at the bus stop, not far from where Collins was dying, NBC 4 reports. After fatally stabbing Collins, Urbanski folded the knife, slipped it into his pocket and sat down on a bench until police arrived.

Prince George’s County prosecutors argued that Urbanski killed Collins III because he was biased against black people. In court, prosecutors stated that Urbanski "killed Collins for no reason other than he was black." Cited evidence included a Facebook membership in a group called "Alt-Reich: Nation," and racist memes on his phone.

However, the judge ruled after hearing from the prosecution and defense teams that the state had not presented sufficient evidence to warrant allowing the jury to deliberate on a hate crime charge, WJLA reports.

Prosecutors rested their case Monday, NBC Washington reported. Defense lawyers finished presenting evidence on Tuesday. While Urbanski doesn't dispute he stabbed Collins, hislawyers said he was "extremely drunk" after a night of drinking with friends near UMd's College Park campus.

Jurors are expected to hear closing arguments on Wednesday before deliberations begin.

Earlier reports state that jurors will still need to consider first- and second-degree murder or manslaughter charges. In addition, after evidence and testimony is complete, the defense can argue the jury should also be able to consider involuntary manslaughter. A not guilty verdict is not an option in the case.

In Maryland, the maximum penalty for a first-degree murder conviction is life in prison with without the chance of parole. The maximum penalty for second degree murder is 30 years.

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