Adam J. Doucet, who has been charged with a hate crime for allegedly threatening to lynch his black neighbor.
A New York man is being charged with a hate crime after he allegedly broke into his black neighbor's house and threatened to lynch him.
Finger Lakes Times reports that 32-year-old Adam J. Doucet broke into his neighbor's house using a crowbar and plumber's wrench, before proceeding to make racist threats against him.
Upon leaving the neighbor's residence, Doucet hung a chain around a tree limb in an attempt to intimidate the neighbor by implying that he would be lynched.
Police say that Doucet targeted his neighbor because the two were having a dispute over damaged property.
Doucet was arrested shortly after the incident occurred, and he has been charged with second-degree burglary, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime.
Acting Wayne County District Attorney Chris Bokelman tells Finger Lakes Times that his office has rarely prosecuted hate crimes, by noting that the anti-hate crimes statute "doesn't get enforced a lot." Nonetheless, he expressed confidence that a hate crime charge could be successfully brought against Doucet.
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