RENO, TX – Reno Police Chief Jeff W. Sugg announced in a two-sentence statement this morning that Daniel Martin, 33, and James “Tray” Mitchell Laster III, 31, have been arrested in the violent beating of 26-year-old Burke Burnett. Friends of Burnett, the gay man, say the savage attack was a hate crime.
Burnett , that in the early hours of Sunday morning he was stabbed at least twice with a broken beer bottle and thrown onto a fire at a private party by up to four men who yelled gay slurs during the attack.
Burnett needed more than 30 stitches to close stab wounds to his back and forearm, as well as a cut above his left eye from being sucker-punched at the start of the attack. He also suffered second-degree burns from being thrown onto a lit burn barrel.
Martin and Laster were arrested late Monday. Each is charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury – first-degree felonies punishable by anywhere between five to 99 years in prison., according to the detectives’ statement.
Reno police spokeswoman Alicia Myrick said it will be up the Lamar County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether the case is prosecuted as a hate crime.
“That’s not our decision,” Myrick said.
Under Texas law though, there is no penalty enhancement for a hate crime as the offense will be prosecuted as a first-degree felony, meaning it is highly unlikely that prosecutors will pursue the matter.