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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Hate crime led to human rights service

Associated Press
COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho (AP) - Two brothers who were sentenced to community service for a 2009 hate crime logged 307 hours at the Human Rights Education Institute as a result, and the director there says he believes the experience helped change the brothers’ attitudes. Frank Tankovich and William Tankovich, as part of their community service, built and installed custom double doors and display cases in the main gallery and hung artwork throughout the center, saving it an estimated $25,000. “They did nothing but good things here,” said Thomas Carter, the institute’s executive director. “They gave back. They felt good about it.” Frank Tankovich’s hate-crime conviction, for harassing a man of Puerto Rican descent outside his home in 2009, was upheld by the Idaho Court of Appeals on Thursday; his brother’s conviction was upheld in December.