NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A 44-year-old man was sentenced on Monday to 11 years in prison for the unprovoked strangulation and hate crime attack on a Jewish man who was walking home from a synagogue, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced.
In April 2018, Gonzalez said 52-year-old Menachem Moskowitz was walking from Sabbath prayers past defendant James Vincent in East Flatbush when he yelled at the victim, "You f******Jew, you Jews took my house and mortgage," as Moskowitz kept walking.
Vincent then ran up from behind the victim, strangled and punched him.
Two good Samaritans intervened as the defendant continued to yell epithets about Judaism as Moskowitz picked up his kippah, suffering injuries to the head and body.
Vincent then fled and was arrested days later after authorities identified him as he bought ice cream at a nearby store with a credit card bearing his name.
In October, he was convicted by a jury trial of attempted strangulation as a hate crime, strangulation as a hate crime, attempted assault as a hate crime, assault as a hate crime, and criminal mischief.
"This was a frightening and unprovoked attack that left an innocent man terrorized. We will not tolerate bias-motivated crimes in Brooklyn, where we pride ourselves on the diversity of our neighbors," Gonzalez said in a statement.
He added, "I hope that this sentence sends the message that my office will pursue and bring to justice those who target our community members with hate-fueled violence."
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