Two men charged with federal hate crime for violent attack of Black man while shouting racial slurs

Authorities in Florida have brought federal hate crime charges against two White men who allegedly beat a Black man and hurled racial slurs at him during the attack. According to the Associated Press, the suspects, identified as 55-year-old Roy Lashley and Robert Lashley, 52, confronted the Black victim at the parking lot of a Family Dollar store in November.

The Justice Department on Friday announced that the two White men had been indicted by a grand jury. Authorities have also charged the suspects with assault and battery under state law. 

Arrest records identified the victim as D.B. Authorities said an individual started hurling racial slurs at the Black man while he was leaving the store. And Robert Lashley is also said to have confronted D.B. and hit him in the face.

Roy Lashley, on the other hand, used an ax handle to repeatedly hit D.B. while he was on the ground. He also faces resisting law enforcement charges for confronting arresting deputies in the wake of the incident.

“If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum term of 10 years imprisonment, three years of mandatory supervised release and a $250,000 fine,” the Justice Department said.