PHILADELPHIA (Nov. 16, 2017) – Philadelphia District Attorney Kelley B. Hodge today announced that the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO) has launched a hate crimes hotline and expanded its internal procedures and community partnerships to more effectively respond to the allegations of hate crimes in the City of Philadelphia. The Office’s hotline, which will be staffed by a Victim and Witness Services Coordinator, is 215-686-8931.
“Hate has no place in the City of Philadelphia and if someone sees it happening, or is the victim of a hate crime, we now have a hotline for them to safely file their report” said Kelley B. Hodge, Philadelphia District Attorney. “Additionally, and this is new to the Hate Crimes Task Force, these improvements will allow us to better support the citizens of this great City with more specially assigned Assistant District Attorneys, formal internal policies and procedures, and an improved partnership with Pennsylvania’s Attorney General’s Office and Philadelphia’s Human Relations Commission.”
The following Assistant District Attorneys (ADA) from each geographic bureau, the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit, and the Municipal Court Unit have been assigned to prosecute any hate or bias crime in their Bureau or Unit:
- Coordinator – Salena Jones, ADA;
- Central Bureau – Sam Haaz, ADA;
- East Bureau – Yasmine Rosario, ADA;
- Family Violence and Sexual Assault Unit – Helen Park, ADA;
- Juvenile Court Unit – Meghan Goddard, ADA;
- Municipal Court Unit – Adam Geer, ADA;
- Northeast Bureau – Leonard Champaign, ADA;
- Northwest Bureau – Ashley Toczylowski, ADA;
- South Bureau – Lauren Realberg, ADA; and
- Southwest Bureau – Antima Chakraborty, ADA.
The task force will also meet on a quarterly basis, or more frequently as needed, to discuss any concerns, improvements, and cases. It will also regularly communicate and inform the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission about their work.
“Hate has no place in our Commonwealth and we’re calling on everyone to step up and report discrimination when it happens,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “Every Pennsylvanian deserves equal justice under the law no matter what you look like, who you pray to, where you’re from, or who you love. The Office of Attorney General fully support District Attorney Hodge’s mission, and commends the DA’s Office for opening this hotline so we can call out hate when we see it.”
As targeted by the District Attorney and the task force, a hate crime is a criminal act (e.g. vandalism, threats, assault, and murder) that is motivated by prejudice or bias and is directed at people because of their real or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, or disability.
“We cannot combat acts of hate if we remain silent. The launch of the new hate crime hotline by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office will make it much easier for anyone to speak up and report hate incidents so they can be thoroughly investigated. We are looking forward to our partnership with the enhanced task force.” said Rue Landau, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.
Since the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not have a statute defining a hate crime, the Office can charge individuals under Title 18 § 2710, Ethnic Intimidation. Ethnic Intimidation is defined as any specified offense committed “…with malicious intention toward the race, color, religion or national origin of another individual or group of individuals.” Ethnic intimidation is graded one degree higher than the underlying offense.
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Philly DA 