Muslim lawmaker who was attacked outside prayer vigil calls for tougher hate crime laws

Khan said Thursday it's nearly impossible to prove intent under Connecticut's hate crime law. Khan also wants legal protections for bystanders who step in to help.

John Craven and Rose Shannon

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Feb 29, 2024, 5:43 PM

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Updated 197 days ago

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State Rep. Maryam Khan, who was attacked outside an Eid al-Adha prayer service, is calling for tougher hate crime laws.

Police say Andrey Desmond assaulted Khan in front of the XL Center in Hartford in June 2023.

Desmond has a long history of mental illness and was not charged with a hate crime.

Khan said Thursday it's nearly impossible to prove intent under Connecticut's hate crime law.

"When you experience firsthand parts of our system that are so, so broken, it is an opportunity to see where some of those fixes can lie," says Khan.

Khan also wants legal protections for bystanders who step in to help.

In her case, a good Samaritan is facing assault charges.

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