The beating of a Plano man during an alleged hate crime was videotaped and broadcast on the Internet, Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis said.
Weis called the crime “disturbing” on Wednesday morning while discussing the case.
Plano police allege that on Dec. 5, 21-year-old Dakota Malert, 400 block of East Abe Street, Plano, seriously beat a man because of his sexual orientation and that the incident was videotaped. He was charged with a hate crime and aggravated assault on Dec. 10.
According to Weis, Malert knew the victim, and several people witnessed the battery. Weis said one onlooker recorded the beating.
“A crime is a hate crime when the motive and reason for the battery is not simply because (the victim) happened to be standing there, but because of some sort of (bigotry) that elevates the charge,” Weis said.
Weis said the recording of the incident was posted to the Internet, and that charges could be forthcoming against additional suspects in the case. He did not name the site where the video appeared online.
“Obviously the issues in this case are very disturbing, even if you disregard the hate crime aspect,” Weis said. “… It makes it even more disturbing when you put together the totality of the circumstances.”
According to Illinois State statute, a hate crime is committed when someone batters, assaults or commits another crime against a person based on the victim’s perceived sexual orientation, race, color, creed, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability without regard to any other factors.
Malert’s bail was set at $200,000, which he posted following his arrest.
At the time of the alleged assault, Malert was already facing misdemeanor battery charges for an incident that occurred at his Plano home, 400 block of East Abe Street, in November.
His next court date is Jan. 30.