A judge sentenced two Austin men to six years each in prison today for the 2004 beating of a gay man, which prosecutors and police have called a hate crime.Donald Bockman, 25, and Darren Gay, 22, faced up to life in prison on charges of aggravated robbery and aggravated sexual assault. When they pleaded guilty last month to aggravated assault, prosecutors recommended the 6-year sentences.
An alleged accomplice, 23-year-old Shawn Regan of San Marcos, still faces aggravated robbery and aggravated sexual assault charges. Gay's brother, Glen Gay, 17, of League City, was tried as a juvenile in the case and convicted by a jury in March of aggravated assault and aggravated robbery. Glen Gay was sentenced to seven years' incarceration, although he could be freed after serving three years in a Texas Youth Commission facility.
All four were accused of picking the victim up at Oilcan Harry's in the Warehouse District and going to his apartment in Southeast Austin, where police said they smashed a glass against his head, punched him, kicked him, whipped him with a vacuum cord and poked and prodded him with swords and daggers.
According to court documents, the group also used a sex toy to assault the man, who is not being identified because of the nature of the crime.
Roy Minton, the attorney for both Bockman and Darren Gay, said his clients attacked the victim because he attempted to make a sexual advance on Glen Gay.
The men declined to say anything before state District Judge Brenda Kennedy sentenced them. Before they were put in handcuffs and taken to jail, the victim called the men cowards.
"You are not real men at all, merely self-righteous, self-serving cowards," he said.
from The Austin American Statesman
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