Oswego man is accused of hate crime

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Updated: October 29, 2011 12:40AM

OSWEGO — An 18-year-old Oswego man has been charged with a hate crime, accused of being part of a group that attacked a gay man.

On Tuesday, Oswego police said Marquette West, 18, 400 block of Bluegrass Parkway, was charged with felonies mob action and hate crime in the attack that occurred at 12:47 a.m. on June 24 in the 400 block of Bluegrass Parkway, police said.

According to police, West and three other men repeatedly punched a man in the head and kicked him. The 29-year-old victim was targeted because of his sexual orientation, and the group used slurs during the attack, police said.

West was arrested on a warrant and is being held on $50,000 bail, police said.

Police said they believe this was an isolated incident, where the victim knew the offenders. The investigation into the attack is ongoing.