Washington State University held a forum last week to discuss the assault of Korean-American student Kyle Descher in a local college bar. “Real cool f---ing Asian,” was what Descher and his friend heard when they passed three men in front of Mike’s bar. Descher asked the men what they meant by the comment, but decided to shrug it off and proceed inside. Upon entering the bar, Descher was attacked from behind and knocked unconscious. Three titanium plates were needed to reconstruct his jaw.
The forum brought further awareness to a case that has already been closed once due to a lack of leads. Despite the assault taking place in a crowded bar, no witnesses have stepped forward. Local citizens have raised about $6,000 in reward money for anyone with information that could lead to arrests, a movement that was precipitated by an Op-ed written by John C. Hughes (Descher’s uncle) that appeared in Washington newspapers.
The Pullman police have also labeled the crime as assault and not as a hate crime, saying there is insufficient evidence linking the racial remark to the attack.
Hughes disagrees. “You don't need Sherlock Holmes or CSI to deduce that Descher likely was the victim of a hate crime.”
Posted by Sylvie at February 20, 2008 2:56 PM
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