James Vincent attacked Rabbi Menachem Moskowitz on the street, physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic insults.
James Vincent was sentenced to 11 years of imprisonment on Monday for an antisemitic hate crime he committed on April 21, 2018 against Rabbi Menachem Moskowitz.
He attacked the Hassidic man while he was walking home from a Brooklyn synagogue on Shabbat. When he saw Moskowitz, Vincent shouted „You f**ing Jew, you Jews took my house and mortgage,” and began strangling and punching him. Bystanders managed to separate them, but Vincent continue to holler antisemitic slurs.
The 44-year-old defendant was convicted in late October of first- and second-degree strangulation as a hate crime, second-degree attempted assault and third-degree assault as a hate crime, and fourth-degree criminal mischief, reports the JTA.
The injuries that occurred during the attack still have a major effect on Moskowitz’s quality of life. He sustained a broken rib, bruises, swelling and an abrasion, and according to his wife, he still cannot sleep due to the aches in his right shoulder.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement: “We will not tolerate bias-motivated crimes in Brooklyn, where we pride ourselves on the diversity of our neighbours. I hope that this sentence sends the message that my office will pursue and bring to justice those who target our community members for hate-fuelled violence.”