First Federal Hate Crime Charges in Nation Send Kentuckians to Prison

That the motherfuckers who kidnapped and beat a gay man were his own brothers is just Eastern Kentucky's signature twist on the crime.

Bill Estep at the Herald:

In the first case of its kind in the nation, four Eastern Kentucky relatives were sentenced in federal court Wednesday for their role in an attack on a gay Letcher County man in April 2011.

David Jason Jenkins, 39, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for kidnapping and beating Kevin Pennington. Anthony Jenkins, 22, a cousin to Jason Jenkins, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove.

Anthony Jenkins' wife, Alexis, and his sister, Ashley, pleaded guilty to aiding in the attack. Van Tatenhove sentenced Alexis Jenkins, 20, to eight years in prison and Ashley Jenkins, 20, to eight years and four months.

The case received nationwide attention because the charges against the four were the first under a part of the federal hate-crimes law that outlaws attacks motivated by the victim's real or perceived sexual orientation.

The details are bizarre even for Eastern Kentucky.  Read the whole thing.