DOYLESTOWN, PA — Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan is announcing the launch of the Hate Crimes Roundtable Series, inviting leaders from religious, racial, and ethnic communities across Bucks County to discuss collaborative solutions for preventing and addressing hate crimes.
The announcement comes on the heels of a recent arrest that highlights the urgent necessity of community-wide vigilance.
On Sept. 18, an Upper Bucks County man was charged with a felony count of ethnic intimidation and related charges after he sent explicit death threats, anti-Muslim statements, and violent racial slurs to a local church leader and community members.
The case is assigned for prosecution to Deputy District Attorney Carrie Worton, one of several specially-designated attorneys within the DA's office who will be prosecuting hate crimes.
"We will fight to ensure that this offender is held accountable for his despicable, hate-fueled threats, which undermine the safety and dignity of the victims," said District Attorney Joe Khan. "This is why it is so important to hear from the leaders of our vulnerable communities about their concerns and how we can work together to confront hate crimes whenever they occur."
In addition to its authority to prosecute ethnic intimidation and other crimes, DA's offices in Pennsylvania also have the authority to go to civil court to obtain equitable relief on behalf of victims of ethnic intimidation, but the authority has rarely been utilized.
"Each and every member of our community has the right to feel safe and secure, and I am going to utilize every tool at my disposal, whether civil or criminal, to ensure that victims of ethnic intimidation obtain justice and regain this sense of safety," said Khan. "I am looking forward to hearing from leaders about how we can best utilize the authority of this Office to protect the community."
The Hate Crimes Roundtable Series aims to open direct communication between the District Attorney's Office and local community leaders to ensure that hate crimes are prevented, properly reported, thoroughly investigated, and aggressively prosecuted.
The first Roundtable will be held in Langhorne on Sept. 29 at 3 p.m., and a second Roundtable in Doylestown will be held on Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. Additional dates will be announced in the future.
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