The American has crippled his father and son, but he will have nothing: a dangerous loophole in state law

A man who brutally beat a Hispanic father and son will not face hate crime charges due to Utah's legal restrictions.

Photo: GoFundMe

Jose Lopez, 51, and his 18-year-old son, Luis, were allegedly brutally beaten outside the family tire store in Salt Lake City. The attack was carried out by Alan Dale Covington last Tuesday - he used a one and a half meter metal pipe to beat him, writes NY Daily News.

Although lawmakers have tried to amend Utah’s law over the past few years, only minor offenses can be recognized as hate crimes in accordance with the 20-year statute, which had previously been criticized even by the district attorney.

Covington's 50-year-old can receive four aggravated assault charges, several charges of possessing drugs and weapons, but cannot be charged with hate crimes.

According to the records, Covington came with a square metal pipe to the Lopez Tires tire shop and said: "I am going to kill someone." He began to wave a metal pipe, and the men who were inside the store ran out.

Photo: GoFundMe

José, who worked in the office, heard his son screaming and ran out into the street, where he saw Covington with a pipe in his hand, shouting insults and threatening Louis, who was working in the garage.

It is also reported that Covington said: "I hate Mexicans" and "I am here to kill a Mexican." Then he asked: "Are you from the Mexican mafia?"

Covington continued to swing the metal pipe. Louis tried to protect his father with a lid on the tool box, but the offender hit the guy in the face, knocked him off his feet and continued to beat him when he was unconscious.

When Jose tried to block the attacker, he received stabs in the back and arm. His brother ran around the corner to see what the noise was, and scared Covington, who ran away. He was later found and arrested by the authorities.

Louis, who remained in the intensive care unit, suffered fractures of the cheekbone and rupture of the eyeball, his nasal septum collapsed as a result of the blow. After a three-hour operation, he was implanted with a titanium plate, setting it in the right side of his face. His father has eight stitches on his arm and numerous bruises.

The daughter of Jose Lopez Veronica expressed disappointment on behalf of the whole family that the incident would not be considered a hate crime.

“It makes my blood boil. What else do they want? - says the girl. “They want him to kill someone to see that he’s dangerous?”

According to Veronica, the family believes that the attack was targeted.

Photo: GoFundMe

Detective Greg Wilking of the Salt Lake City Police Department said that Covington, who had previously served his sentence for domestic violence, was under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack and had "some mental health issues" that had clouded his judgment.

According to Wilking, Covington was worried that he was attacked by a member of the Mexican mafia while he was in prison. The detective did not dare to call the attack a hate crime, as eyewitness reports indicated that Covington’s comments "were not about hating Mexicans, but rather about the Mafia."

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Utah issued a statement condemning the attack.

“This is a terrible attack on a person, a family and our sense of safety as a result of hate-motivated acts in Salt Lake City,” the ACLU wrote.

"The Utah ACLU strongly condemns crimes in which the victim is chosen because of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability."

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