‘All Three Defendants Maintain Their Innocence’: Philly Hate Attack Suspects Appear In Court

The three suspects in the Sept. 11, 2014 anti-gay hate attack that left a same-sex couple hospitalized, went to court today.

Kevin Harrigan, Kathryn Knott, and Philip Williams – the three suspects charged in last year’s anti-gay hate attack on a same-sex couple – appeared in the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center today for a pre-trial hearing, the Bucks County Courier reports. 

“All three defendants steadfastly maintain their innocence,” Louis Busico, Knott’s attorney, told the court. 

Defendants were slated to appear for a pretrial bring back, so the court can assess the status of the case and progress in the discovery phase.

No trial date has been set yet, but Common Pleas Judge Frank Palumbo scheduled the next in-court date as April 16, PGN reports.

In January, a preliminary arraignment was held in the case of the three accused attackers, who are charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person (REAP). Williams and Harrigan are also charged with conspiracy. They were all arrested September 24.

In December, one of the victims testified in court for an hour, accusing Harrigan of asking him the night of the attack, “Is that your fucking boyfriend?,” and, “So you’re a dirty, fucking faggot?”

He also told the court Knott “hit me in the face and just kept calling me a ‘dirty, fucking faggot,’ ‘faggot, faggot.'”

 

Related stories:

Philly Court Document: Attackers Repeatedly Punched Gay Men, Called Them ‘Faggots’

Philadelphia Hate Attack Suspect Kathryn Knott ‘Has Been Terminated From Her Employment’

Philly Hate Attack Mob Claiming Self Defense After Brutal Beating Sends Gay Men To Hospital

 

Image by Victor Fiorillo via Twitter
Hat tip: Philly Mag