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Things got heated on August 2nd between a Nevada resident and a Houston native gathering signatures for a suggested ballot in Southeast Reno. While the altercation never turned physical, three individuals have been arrested after one 74-year-old man reportedly made a racial slur directed at the signature gatherer.
According to reports, the incident started when Ricky Johnson, the Houston native, was attempting to gather signatures for a proposed ballot. A Texas-based firm hired him to travel out to Reno and get the signatures, but once he was on-scene, he approached Gary Miller and things went south.
Miller later told authorities that Johnson was the one who initially became irate and started “going crazy” when Miller stated his support for former President Trump. The two started throwing verbal insults back and forth before Miller confirmed making the statement – “There is a hanging tree down the road where you can go hang out.”
Ricky Johnson, who self-identifies as black, took the statement to be a racially charged slur. It seems that Miller later confirmed this intended meaning when he told police during his interview that, “he grew up in different times.”
Miller, his wife, and his adult daughter were all arrested and charged with various misdemeanors. Miller’s wife is accused of battery after encouraging her husband to continue the altercation, and the daughter has been charged with obstruction of justice. These charges include a noise violation, breach of the peace, and added enhancements since the incidents were motivated by the victim’s race.
Now, Miller claims that Johnson has been threatening him and his wife, harassing him with multiple phone calls, and enticing a mob against him. He has contacted the police, who have also been investigating ongoing acts of vandalism and threats to businesses associated with the public attention from the racially-charged case.
If convicted, the suspects above would face a maximum of six months in jail. In Nevada, misdemeanors that are also considered hate crimes are typically charged as gross misdemeanors. You can get charged with a hate crime in Nevada even if the offense was not a violent one. A hate crime charge means there is a penalty enhancement on the suspect’s original charge, which doubles their maximum sentence to up to 364 days in jail and fines of up to $2,000.
Hate crimes can be levied in Nevada when the action against the victim is motivated by their perceived race, color, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation.
Have you recently been accused of committing a hate crime or a racially-based offense? It’s imperative to seek out timely legal representation. LV Criminal Defense was established 9 years ago, and our attorneys have ample experience representing clients who have faced similar situations in the past.
Reach out to our office now to schedule a free meeting with one of our top lawyers where you can discuss your charges in more detail and determine your best path forward.
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