In a case that has drawn national attention, a 27-year-old white Houston-area man accused of punching an elderly black man has been indicted on a hate-crime charge, CBS Houston reports.
Conrad Alvin Barrett was indicted Thursday by federal grand jury in Houston. Investigators allege that he punched the 79-year-old victim, breaking his jaw in two places, in a Nov. 24, 2013, attack in Katy, Texas, the report says. Then, he laughed and shouted “knockout” as the man fell to the ground, they charge.
Investigators say Barrett videoed the attack on his cellphone and shared the recording.
He was arrested Dec. 26 and remains in custody pending a court hearing next week, the report says. The Associated Press left a message for defense attorney George Parnham seeking comment.
Parnham has said Barrett has a bipolar disorder and was off his medication when the attack happened, the report says.
Read more at CBS Houston.