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| Former U-Md. student convicted of first-degree murder in killing of black Army lieutenant | Former U-Md. student convicted of first-degree murder in killing of black Army lieutenant |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A former University of Maryland student who admitted to fatally stabbing a black Army lieutenant at a campus bus stop was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder. | A former University of Maryland student who admitted to fatally stabbing a black Army lieutenant at a campus bus stop was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder. |
| The guilty verdict against Sean Urbanski came the day after a judge dismissed a hate crime count against him in the May 20, 2017, killing of Richard Collins III. | The guilty verdict against Sean Urbanski came the day after a judge dismissed a hate crime count against him in the May 20, 2017, killing of Richard Collins III. |
| A Prince George’s County jury took only two hours to return the verdict. | A Prince George’s County jury took only two hours to return the verdict. |
| Urbanski, who is white, stabbed Collins after the two met by chance at a bus stop on a night when many college students were celebrating their imminent graduations. | |
| Prosecutors, citing Urbanski’s membership in a Facebook group called “Alt Reich: Nation” and racist memes that were stored on his phone, said Urbanski had filled his mind with hatred and acted on that hatred after a night of heavy drinking. | Prosecutors, citing Urbanski’s membership in a Facebook group called “Alt Reich: Nation” and racist memes that were stored on his phone, said Urbanski had filled his mind with hatred and acted on that hatred after a night of heavy drinking. |
| “He poisoned his mind with white-supremacist propaganda — Nazi-style propaganda,” Assistant State’s Attorney Jonathon R. Church told jurors in closing arguments Wednesday in Prince George’s County Circuit Court. | |
| Defense attorneys acknowledged that Urbanski, 24, had fatally stabbed Collins but argued that he had been so drunk — as much as three times the legal threshold for intoxication — that he could not form the intent required for a first-degree-murder conviction. | |
| “The poison was not hate,” defense attorney John McKenna told jurors. “It was alcohol. He committed a crime he can’t remember and greatly regrets.” | “The poison was not hate,” defense attorney John McKenna told jurors. “It was alcohol. He committed a crime he can’t remember and greatly regrets.” |
| Man accused in U-Md. hate crime killing ‘poisoned his mind’ with racist images, prosecutors argue | |
| Prosecutors have said they will seek a sentence of life without parole. Sentencing has been set for April 16. | Prosecutors have said they will seek a sentence of life without parole. Sentencing has been set for April 16. |
| The killing of Collins, 23, came during a time of racial tension on college campuses in the United States, including at U-Md. | |
| Judge Lawrence V. Hill Jr., in response to a defense request Tuesday, dismissed the hate crime charge against Urbanski. He ruled that prosecutors had not met their legal burden in showing that Urbanski was motivated by racial hatred when he stabbed Collins with a knife. Hill said the statute requires prosecutors to show that an act was committed solely because of the identity of the target. | Judge Lawrence V. Hill Jr., in response to a defense request Tuesday, dismissed the hate crime charge against Urbanski. He ruled that prosecutors had not met their legal burden in showing that Urbanski was motivated by racial hatred when he stabbed Collins with a knife. Hill said the statute requires prosecutors to show that an act was committed solely because of the identity of the target. |
| Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) said she had no doubt Urbanski had been motivated by racial hatred, despite the dismissed charge. | |
| “This case was always about intolerance,” Braveboy said. | “This case was always about intolerance,” Braveboy said. |
| After the trial, Richard Collins, the victim’s father, thanked prosecutors and the many friends and family members who attended the trial. He said his son was “our hero.” | After the trial, Richard Collins, the victim’s father, thanked prosecutors and the many friends and family members who attended the trial. He said his son was “our hero.” |
| Hate crime charge dropped against former U-Md. student charged in fatal stabbing | Hate crime charge dropped against former U-Md. student charged in fatal stabbing |
| “He was a kind and loving individual,” the elder Collins said. “He really didn’t see color. He didn’t see gender.” | “He was a kind and loving individual,” the elder Collins said. “He really didn’t see color. He didn’t see gender.” |
| In a separate statement, the family said it would honor the victim’s legacy “by creating new tools for fighting hatred and bigotry — and pushing back against those who work to spread division and fear.” | In a separate statement, the family said it would honor the victim’s legacy “by creating new tools for fighting hatred and bigotry — and pushing back against those who work to spread division and fear.” |
| Urbanski’s parents and other family members stayed behind in the courtroom after the conviction was announced, clearly shaken. His mother began to cry after the verdict was read, and several family members came up to hug and comfort her. Escorted by sheriff’s deputies from the courtroom, they declined to comment. | Urbanski’s parents and other family members stayed behind in the courtroom after the conviction was announced, clearly shaken. His mother began to cry after the verdict was read, and several family members came up to hug and comfort her. Escorted by sheriff’s deputies from the courtroom, they declined to comment. |
| Defense attorneys McKenna and William Brennan also declined to comment after the verdict. | Defense attorneys McKenna and William Brennan also declined to comment after the verdict. |
| Richard Collins III was visiting friends at the College Park campus the night he was killed. He had received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Army about a week earlier and was a few days from receiving his business degree from Bowie State University. | Richard Collins III was visiting friends at the College Park campus the night he was killed. He had received his commission as a second lieutenant in the Army about a week earlier and was a few days from receiving his business degree from Bowie State University. |
| Church in closing arguments suggested Urbanski, who observed Collins and others talking at the bus stop, had perhaps overheard Collins discuss his hopes for a bright future as an Army officer. Urbanski walked away and then minutes later emerged from the shadows with a knife already open in his hand, Church said. | |
| Salutes and a folded flag at funeral for Bowie State student killed in possible hate crime | Salutes and a folded flag at funeral for Bowie State student killed in possible hate crime |
| “Step left, step left if you know what’s best for you,” Urbanski said, according to witnesses. | “Step left, step left if you know what’s best for you,” Urbanski said, according to witnesses. |
| Urbanski then bypassed two other young people — a white man and an Asian woman — and attacked the only black person, Collins. Holding up a can of Miller Lite, Church urged the jury — which was majority African American — not to let Urbanski evade full responsibility by attributing his actions to alcohol. | Urbanski then bypassed two other young people — a white man and an Asian woman — and attacked the only black person, Collins. Holding up a can of Miller Lite, Church urged the jury — which was majority African American — not to let Urbanski evade full responsibility by attributing his actions to alcohol. |
| Urbanksi’s attorneys had argued the state had failed to produce evidence to connect offensive images on Urbanski’s devices to his actions the night of Collins’s killing. The state also could not produce any witness from Urbanski’s past who might testify that he advocated violence against minorities or wanted to harm a black person that night, the defense said. | Urbanksi’s attorneys had argued the state had failed to produce evidence to connect offensive images on Urbanski’s devices to his actions the night of Collins’s killing. The state also could not produce any witness from Urbanski’s past who might testify that he advocated violence against minorities or wanted to harm a black person that night, the defense said. |
| Defense lawyers argued instead that Urbanski was seething with self-loathing because he had left U-Md. and had fallen behind former classmates celebrating their coming graduations. | Defense lawyers argued instead that Urbanski was seething with self-loathing because he had left U-Md. and had fallen behind former classmates celebrating their coming graduations. |
| Braveboy said she interpreted the swift verdict as a sign that jurors saw the case as prosecutors did: a hate crime by a racist white man against a black man who represented promise and achievement. | Braveboy said she interpreted the swift verdict as a sign that jurors saw the case as prosecutors did: a hate crime by a racist white man against a black man who represented promise and achievement. |
| “They weren’t out long because it was plain what happened here,” she said. “We know there are people out there who cannot tolerate a black man in that position.” | “They weren’t out long because it was plain what happened here,” she said. “We know there are people out there who cannot tolerate a black man in that position.” |
| Hate crime reports have soared in D.C. Prosecutions have plummeted. | Hate crime reports have soared in D.C. Prosecutions have plummeted. |
| In 2018, they all became victims of a record-setting year of hatred in D.C. | In 2018, they all became victims of a record-setting year of hatred in D.C. |
| A child touched an electrified railing at MGM National Harbor resort, and lives changed | A child touched an electrified railing at MGM National Harbor resort, and lives changed |
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