An Austin man, George Johnson, 35, has been sentenced to a term of five years for a hate crime that occurred on a bus back in June 2022. As reported by CBS Austin, Johnson was convicted on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and the jury found that the assault was motivated by homophobia.
The incident, which was caught on bus surveillance video, displayed Johnson wielding a box cutter and slapping another passenger while making "derogatory and homophobic comments." According to testimony referenced by The Austin American-Statesman, Johnson had specifically targeted the victim due to the latter's sexual orientation. This conclusion led to a quick re-indictment on hate crime charges in May 2023.
According to The Austin American-Statesman, during the trial, evidence from the bus ride on June 14, 2022, highlighted a disturbing scene where Johnson’s aggressive actions escalated and he threatened the victim, saying, "I'll cut your (expletive) throat," an excerpt from the incident's surveillance video presented in court. The sentencing judge ruled that the two five-year sentences for each count of aggravated assault will be served concurrently.
The Travis County District Attorney's office reiterated the county's stance on hate crimes, with DA José Garza stating, “The Travis County District Attorney’s office does not tolerate acts of hate in our community, takes hate crimes seriously, and is committed to holding people who commit these crimes accountable.” Garza's comments were obtained by The Austin American-Statesman in their coverage of the conviction.
Johnson's attack marks the second conviction for a hate crime in Travis County for the year, following an earlier case where a Georgia man pled guilty to threatening to shoot Austin school board members over their involvement in a pride parade. Johnson’s lawyers were not immediately available for a response to the verdict.
