A Couple Who Made Racist Threats At Black Child’s Birthday Were Sentenced To Combined 19 Years In Prison

A Georgia couple was sentenced to a total of 19 years in jail for making terroristic threats against African-Americans, including during a child's birthday celebration.

On February 27, 2017, Jose "Joe" Torres, 26, was given a sentence of 20 years (13 in prison) for three counts of aggravated assault, one count of terroristic threats, and one count of violating Georgia's Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act.

Kayla Norton, aged 25, received a sentence of 15 years (six in prison) for one count of terroristic threats and one count of breaking the Street Gang Act. Their actions were labeled a hate crime by Judge William McClain.

The event occurred on July 25, 2015, just over a month after white supremacist Dylann Roof murdered nine Black churchgoers in South Carolina. Torres and Norton were members of the organization "Respect the Flag". Members rode in a big convoy through the Atlanta suburbs, waving Confederate flags and chanting racial obscenities.

Eventually, “the convoy of trucks passed by the victim’s residence where the victims were grilling hot dogs and hamburgers while hosting a child’s birthday party featuring a bouncy castle, snow-cone machines, and a DJ,” the Douglas County District Attorney said.

Convoy participants got out of their trucks and confronted the victims on foot with weapons including a knife, a tire iron, and shotguns. According to the statement, this is when Torres “threatened to kill the party goers while repeatedly using derogatory racial slurs against them.”

“Torres, who had retrieved a shotgun from his vehicle, pointed his shotgun at the group of African-American party-goers and stated he was going to kill them while his co-defendants stated that ‘the little ones can get one too,’ referring to the young children at the party,” the statement read.

Norton also made similar threats at the victims.

At this time, party guests began to evacuate and dial 911. When officers arrived, they discovered a shotgun matching the description given in the 911 call in Torres' truck. Police later looked into Norton and Torres' online activities as well.

“Law enforcement was able to locate numerous posts and messages [on Facebook] indicating that members of the group were white supremacists who discussed attending KKK rallies, joining Skinheads Nation, and making numerous derogatory remarks about African Americans as a whole,” the District Attorney said — despite the pair’s professions of innocence in court.

After the pair was prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced, the District Attorney was keen to emphasize that the punishments were not related to the raising of the Confederate flag, but rather to the racist harassment and threats of violence directed at a child's birthday party.

“Many people tried to make the case about simply flying the Confederate Battle Flag,” Douglas County District Attorney Brian Fortner said in the statement. “This case was about a group of people riding around our community, drinking alcohol, harassing and intimidating our citizens because of the color of their skin.”

During sentencing, both Torres and Norton cried in court while Norton emotionally pleaded, "I want you all to know that is not me. That's not me, and it's not him. I would never approach you and speak those words. I'm truly sorry for what happened to you. I sincerely apologize."

Hyesha Bryant, a mother who attended the party with her children, used her testimony to address Norton directly, saying, "What you said altered my life. It had an impact on my children's life."

Melissa Alford, the grandmother who hosted the 2015 birthday party, told HLN, “I think Judge McClain did what he had to do” at the sentencing. “I know justice was served.”

While Alford showed forgiveness to Torres and Norton for their racist terrorism, she also emphasized the impact the incident had on everyone there, particularly the children. She went on to claim that the kids who were at the party are still puzzled and afraid two years later.