Same hate crime, new U.S. charges against convicted Burbank man

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-hate12.html

In 2003, Eric Nix was charged with a hate crime after he hurled a fireworks-type mortar into a Muslim family's van in Burbank.

But months later, Nix got off with what the Muslim community called an "unfathomable" sentence -- two years probation and anger management classes.

That case was in state court.

In an unusual move, federal prosecutors stepped in Monday and arrested Nix, 26, slapping him with federal civil rights charges for the same incident. This time, Nix faces up to 10 years in prison if he's convicted.

'He could have killed somebody'

[1monster]

1. I'm really torn on cases like this. Yes, the guy should pay for his crime

and the sentence handed down was not commensurate with the crime. There is a disconnect there that needs to be addressed.

On the other hand, having separate state and federal charges filed for the same crime, especially when the federal charges come down AFTER the state has already judged and sentenced seems to undermine the double jeopardy axiom in the Bill of Rights.

[NNN0LHI]

2. It goes the opposite way too

McVeighs buddy Terry Nichols got life from the feds and then Oklahoma wanted to try him after that and give him the death penalty. I also am torn.

Don

[1monster]

6. Agreed. Either way it is a form of double jeopardy.

[youspeakmylanguage]

4. This is exactly why hate crimes should be tried on the federal level...

There are simply too many parts of this country where homophobic and racist crimes are not only ignored but often celebrated. You can't trust local and state juries to do the right thing in these parts any more than you could trust them to do the right thing back in the 60's.

[genieroze]

5. Bill of Rights?, What's that? The * administration burned them.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

3. This was most definitely a hate crime and

this loser from Burbank got off with a slap on the wrist.

There have been Arabs and Arab-Americans living in the southwest suburbs of Chicago for years. Most of them are Palestinians that came here to better their lives and they're no threat to anyone.

Mr. Nix was convicted in 2001 of throwing a brick at Arab owned business on September 13th. He obviously didn't learn his lesson from that now did he. Considering he's now 26 maybe he should ask the Federal Court for leniency and enlist in the Army or Marines so he can fight the terrorists "over there instead of here".

This guy gets no sympathy from me.

[Maddy McCall]

7. Excellent.