Illinois prosecutors weigh hate crime charges after lesbian attacked at McDonald's

Kane County prosecutors considering hate crime charges after lesbian attacked at McDonald's

The Kane County State's Attorney's office is considering hate crime charges, after a woman from Carpentersville, Illinois, says a group of strangers attacked her at a McDonald's because she's a lesbian.

"I want to assure the public that my office is conducting a thorough and unbiased review of this case to determine if adding additional charges such as Hate Crime is appropriate," Kane County State's attorney Jamie Mosser said in a statement on Wednesday. "I am committed to pursuing justice based on the full facts of the case."

Kady Grass suffered a broken nose, a hemorrhage on her eye, and PTSD after the attack at a McDonald's in Carpentersville last week.

"I genuinely think that their plan was to kill me, and that they didn't care if they ended my life that day," Grass said.

Police arrested 19-year-old John Kammrad and a 17-year-old boy, and they both face several charges, including aggravated battery.

Grass has said she went to the McDonald's in Carpentersville with her 13-year-old cousin after his choir concert. A group of strangers started harassing her and using anti-gay slurs as she left the restroom.

When she walked away, she said they followed. She told the strangers she is a lesbian and flicked her wrist at them.

"How it started was because I'm a lesbian — just because I walked into the woman's bathroom, and I looked the way I look," Grass said.

Police said two people attacked her.

Grass said she lost consciousness during the attack.

"I don't remember them stomping on my head at all," she said.

Police said they have arrested John Kammrad, 19, and a 17-year-old boy, on several charges — including aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. The Kane County State's Attorney's office initially declined to issue hate crime charges, but on Wednesday said they are working with police to determine if hate crime charges are appropriate.

"The allegations involved here are deeply disturbing. My thoughts are with Kady Grass and her family, and I want her to know we will do everything within the law to hold those responsible accountable," Mosser said in a statement. "Kane County is a welcoming community, and there is no place in a civilized society for the alleged behavior in this case."