SPOKANE — A Spokane minister has been acquitted of a hate crime charge after convincing a jury he was acting in defense of his home when he allegedly used a gay slur while throwing out his estranged son and another man.
51-year-old Derrick G. Moore physically removed the two naked men from a shower in his home.
The Spokesman-Review says the incident resulted in Moore facing felony charges of malicious harassment from the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office. He was acquitted last week and taxpayers are on the hook for his legal expenses.
Moore’s attorney says the case hinged on his client’s right to establish rules in his home.
Deputy prosecutor John Love says Moore could have handled the situation without violence and without hate speech.
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