Local Felon Could Face Hate Crime, Too
Item: Man could be charged with hate crime/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d'Alene Press
More Info: A convicted felon sitting in the Kootenai County Jail could be charged for a hate crime stemming from a pair of altercations outside a Coeur d'Alene home earlier this week. Ira Tankovich was arrested Sunday evening and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, a felony which carries up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines. He could face an additional malicious harassment -- or hate crime -- charge pending further investigation, according to Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Barry McHugh.
Question: Some people are uncomfortable that we have a category of criminal activity that we designate "hate crimes," claiming that many crimes are fueled by hate and that the regular penalty for those crimes is sufficient. What do you think?