Family of slain Lt. Richard Collins III push for tougher hate crime laws

Parents of a slain Bowie State student are backing a Maryland bill that would broaden the state’s hate crime laws, making it easier to prosecute.

RICHARD COLLINS III WERE FRONTAND CENTER AT AN ANNAPOLISNEWS CONFERENCE TODAY &BACKING TOUGHER HATE CRIMELAWS.

THE SUPPORT COMES AFTERTHE TRIAL OF THEIR SON'SKILLER.

WHILE SEAN URBANSKIWAS CONVICTED OF FATALLYSTABBING COLLINSDISMISSED THE HATE CRIMECHARGE.

WMAR 2 NEWS' DAVEDETLING IS LIVE IN ANNAPOLISWITH A LOOK AT THE LEGISLATIONAND THE MESSAGE FROM THECOLLINS FAMILY.BACKERS OF THE BILLS SAYMARYLAND NEEDS TO DO MORE.

THECOLLINS FAMILY SAYS THEYBACKING THIS BILL SO NO OTHERPARENT HAS TO EXPERIENCE HEPAIN.KGIN.VICTI“We raisedman that any mother would beproud to have.“ 12:5━59RICHARD COLLINS/ VICTIMFATHER:“It has been a long,long journey to get to thispoint” PROUD PARENTS DAWN ANDRICHARD COLLINS TOOK TO THEPODIUM TUESDAY BACKINGLEGISLATION THAT WOULD BROADENMARYLANDSAND MAKE IT EASIER TO SECUREPROSECUTION.

THE TWO BILLSBEING INTRODUCED CARRY THEIRSONRICHARD COLLINS THE THIRDNAME.

13:01 RICHARD COLLINS/VICTI“We arecautiously optimistic”THEYAFTER PRINCE GEORGE COUNTYPROSECUTORS FAILED TO SECURE AHATE CRIME CONVICTION IN THEMURDER OF THEIR SON.

WHILE HISKILLERRACIST IMAGES ON HIS COMPUTERAND WAS PART OF RACISTFACEBOOK GROUPRULED PROSECUTORS DIDNT HAVEENOUGH EVIDENCE TO SEND THEHATE CRIME CONVICTION TO THEJURY.* URBANSKYARGUED THEIR CLIENT STABBEDCOLLINS BECAUSE OF PROXIMITY &NOT BECAUSE HE WAS BLACK.

IFTHE BILLS BECOME LAWPROSECUTORS WOULD HAVE TOPROVE A CRIME WAS MOTIVATED BYHATE EITHER IN WHOLE OR INPART BY THE ASSAILANTWOULDNREASON.

COLLINSSUPPORTERSOF THE SOUTHERN POVERTY LAWCENTER SAY THE SLIGHTESTCHANGE COULD LEAD TO FUTUREHATE CRIME CONVICTIONS.20:5━20:05 KAREN BAYNE━DUNNING/ SOUTHERN POVERTY LAWCENTER:“we have to Fight backagainst hate and bigotry Inthe state.

It is growing.

Thenumber of hate Groups may begoing down but the violence,associated with it is goingup” 14:0━14:19 DAWN COLLINS/VICTI“I beseechthe state of Maryland tocorrect this so that no othermother has to feel the dailypain that I feel”AGAIN BOTH THE HOUSE ANDSENATE ARE INTRODUCING THEIROWN VERSIONS OF THE BILL.LEADERS ARE HOPING TO WORKACROSS THE AISLE TO TURN THEMINTO LAW.

IN ANNAPOLIS, DAVEDETLING, WMAR 2 NEWS.THE FORMER MEDSTAR EMPLOYEE