Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Yamahiro decided to remove the hate crime enhancer from a disorderly conduct misdemeanor charge against 65-year-old attorney Rapkin.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
July 23, 2021
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Glen H. Yamahiro accepted the defense attorney's motion to strike the hate crime enhancer from count 1 and amended the misdemeanor disorderly conduct criminal complaint, which removed a hate crime enhancer charge against attorney Stephanie G. Rapkin.
In June 2020, Rapkin, then 64, was charged with one felony count for battery to a law enforcement officer and one count for misdemeanor of disorderly conduct with an enhancer of a hate crime in connection with the June 6th incident where Rapkin was video recorded as she intentionally spat at a Black student during a protest in Shorewood. Rapkin had parked her vehicle in a manner to intentionally block a peaceful protest "No Justice, No Peace" seeking justice for George Floyd from Minneapolis and other victims of color murdered by police from Milwaukee. The protest was stopped by Rapkin's vehicle and couldn't temporarily continue through and when she was asked by protesters to move her vehicle, she spat at the face of Eric Lucas, 16, an African-American student.
Rapkin was later taken into custody and the next day, Rapkin shoved another person after she confronted protesters in the front public sidewalk of her house for drawing messages with chalk. When police went to arrest Rapkin at her home, she struck a Shorewood police officer in the groin with her knee.
If convicted, Rapkin is facing up to 9 months in jail and up to $1,000 in fines for misdemeanor disorderly conduct, and she is facing up to 6 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines for felony battery to a law enforcement officer. Rapkin will also be disbarred.
Rapkin has a motion hearing on August 23, 2021.
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