Justice Not Yet Served One Year After Anti-Immigrant Hate Crime

(Washington DC) -The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) today recognized the one-year anniversary of the vicious hate crime that took the life of a Latino immigrant in Shenandoah, PA by issuing the following joint statement:

"It has been one year since Luis Ramirez was taken from his family and friends in a blatant hate crime based on his ethnicity as a Latino. The CHC continues to urge the Department of Justice to more closely investigate the incident and to evaluate if the act was motivated by racial discrimination. The Caucus raised this issue directly with Attorney General Eric Holder earlier this year. Failing to serve due justice in this case fails our nation's judicial system; it sends the message that a rise in hate rhetoric across this nation and in the media will be tolerated; and it tacitly fuels the rise in violence against Hispanics across the country."

Luis Ramirez was killed in July 2009. In May of this year, a jury found his attackers guilty of simple assault, but acquitted them of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and ethnic intimidation. During a meeting with the Attorney General Eric Holder a few days after that jury decision, the CHC shared their concerns about this case with him, and urged the Department of Justice to take a closer look at the matter.

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Please note that you can watch all of the Judge Sonia Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings live and uninterrupted at the CHC's website - http://Velazquez.House.Gov/CHC