FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 15, 2022
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempted Assault
as a Hate Crime following Anti-Gay Attack in East New York
Defendant Stabbed Victim in Shoulder After Shouting Homophobic Slurs
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to up to five years in prison for an anti-gay attack outside an East New York bodega in which he stabbed a woman in the shoulder after shouting homophobic slurs. The defendant pleaded guilty to attempted assault as a hate crime.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Hate has no place in Brooklyn’s diverse communities, and this shocking and unprovoked act of homophobic violence underscores the importance of vigorous hate crime prosecutions to deter anyone who may consider acting on their bigoted views. Our dedicated Hate Crimes Bureau relentlessly pursues cases against those who victimize our neighbors because of their perceived race, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity or religion and we are deeply committed to preventing these despicable offenses in Brooklyn.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Samuel Huff, 32, of East New York, Brooklyn. He was sentenced two-and-a-half to five years in prison by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun following his guilty plea to second-degree attempted assault as a hate crime on March 23, 2022.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on May 7, 2020, at approximately 9:10 p.m., the defendant encountered the victim, a 33-year-old woman, and a friend, inside the Placencia Deli located at 1129 Blake Avenue in East New York. The defendant then followed the two women to Del Liquors across the street at 1130 Blake Avenue.
While inside of Del Liquors, the defendant approached the victim and pointed to her, stating, “What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here? You are a tranny and a (explicative).” The victim ignored the defendant. However, the defendant continued making homophobic and threatening remarks.
Moments later, the victim and her friend left Del Liquors and got into a BMW convertible that was parked out front of the store on Blake Avenue. After the victim got into the convertible, which had its top down, the defendant approached and stated, “You’re a tranny. You’re a (explicative). Get the (explicative) out of here.” The defendant then lunged over the passenger side door toward the victim and stabbed her in the shoulder with a sharp object. The defendant then fled down Blake Avenue. The victim was taken to Brookdale Hospital and treated for a laceration wound to the shoulder and back, receiving seven stitches.
The defendant was arrested on May 12 after being identified from video surveillance from Placencia Deli. The victim also identified the defendant during a photo array conducted at the 75th Precinct.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Samantha Perlstein of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Kelli Muse, Bureau Chief.
#
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.