NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A 44-year-old man was convicted by a jury Wednesday on hate crime charges for a 2018 attack on a Jewish man in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Thursday that James Vincent was found guilty of strangulation as a hate crime, assault as a hate crime and other charges for the attack on Menachem Moskowitz.
Prosecutors said Moskowitz, 52, was walking home from his synagogue after Shabbat on the afternoon of April 21, 2018, when he strolled past Vincent in East Flatbush.
Vincent allegedly shouted, "You #$%& Jew, you Jews took my house and mortgage." In return, Moskowitz continued walking.
Officials said the defendant approached the victim, choked and punched him. Two bystanders intervened as Vincent continued to yell antisemitic comments and he fled.
Moskowitz suffered injuries to the head and body.
Vincent was arrested days later after authorities identified him as he bought ice cream at a nearby store with a credit card bearing his name, authorities said.
He now faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 13.
Gonzalez praised Wednesday's verdict saying he hoped it "speaks to Brooklyn’s resolve to combatting and rooting out hate from our communities."
"The defendant has been brought to justice for this senseless, disturbing and hateful crime against a man simply walking home from his synagogue," he added in his statement. "Brooklyn’s strength is in its diversity and I remain committed to vigorously prosecuting bias-motivated violence.”
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