Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection Vandal Pleads Guilty To Felony Charge

 

Alexander Jerich, the conservative political activist who defaced the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection last June, pleaded guilty to felony and misdemeanor charges before Circuit Court Judge Scott Suskauer this morning. With the guilty plea, Jerich faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. He could also be required to pay the city of Delray Beach an estimated $12,000 to repair the intersection. A sentencing hearing will be set within the next few months.

"By pleading guilty, Jerich has avoided a very public trial for the hate crime he committed," said Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC) President Rand Hoch, a retired judge. "It would have been impossible for Jerich to avoid being found guity in light of the video that captured his crime." PBCHRC is Florida’s oldest, independent, non-partisan, political organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. PBCHRC promotes equality through education, advocacy, direct action, impact litigation, and community outreach. The PBCHRC Charitable Foundation and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation paid for the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection. In advance of the sentencing hearing, PBCHRC and the PBCHRC Charitable Foundation will file a Victim Impact Statement to assist Judge Suskauer in determining an appropriate sentance for Jerich.

Alexander Jerich

Last June, while the LGBTQ community celebrated LGBTQ Pride Month, Jerich participated in the "President Trump Birthday (Driving) Rally", which was sponsored by the Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee. Approximately thirty vehicles participated in the parade. Jerich drove his family's white Chevrolet Silverado with a large blue “All Aboard The Trump Train” flag leaning off the tailgate. While the vehicles drove through numerous interesctions along the route without incident, when Jerich arrived at the LGBTQ Pride Intersection, he stopped, allowing a colleague in the vehicle behind him to record the crime on a cell phone. In view of onlookers, Jerich repeatedly started and stopped his truck in the intersection, creating “burnouts”, which left a set of fifteen-foot black skidmarks, permanently defacing the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection. Within days, the video of Jerich's crime went viral.

To view a 16 second video of the crime, click here,

Just two days before Jerich's crime, the city of Delray Beach held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection. Hundreds of attendees heard speeches from the mayor and city commissioners. Representatives of PBCHRC, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and Compass -- Palm Beach County's LGBTQ comunity center -- also made remarks at the dedication ceremony.

PBCHRC President and Founder Rand Hoch and Compass LGBTQ Community Center Executive Director Julie Seaver

“On Saturday, LGBTQ people and our allies celebrated the dedication of the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection,” said Compass Executive Director Julie Seaver. “But by Monday, we were mourning the loss of our security after this bigot permanently defaced our Pride Intersection.”

"We were devastated by Jerich's brazen act of hate against the LGBTQ community," said Hoch. "Prior to Jerich's attack on the Pride Intersection, LGBTQ people felt proud, safe, and welcomed in Delray Beach."  "Because of this attack on our city, LGBTQ people feel threatened and vulnerable," said Delray Beach resident Nicholas Coppola, to whom the Pride Intersection is dedicated. "The LGBTQ community feels victimized by Jerich's crimes and we are concerned others will follow Jerich’s lead and harm us as individuals and as a community as a whole." Coppola also serves on the Compass Board of Trustees.

Following a thorough investigation, Delray Beach Police determined Jerich "willfully and maliciously" damaged the LGBTQ Pride Intersection and found probable cause to charge him with criminal mischief in excess of $1,000 and reckless driving with property damage. They also found it appropriate for Jerich to be charged with under Florida's hate crime laws since his actions were based on prejudice based on sexual orientation. However, Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg only charged Jerich with criminal mischief, a third degree felony, and reckless driving, a misdemeanor. Aronberg declined to include the enhanced penalties provisions of Florida's hate crimes statute, believing a technicality precluded the State from prosecuting Jerich under the poorly worded statute. Last December, State Senator Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) and State Representative Emily Slosberg-King (D-Boca Raton) filed legislation to amend the law to allow local governments, as well as public and private organizations, to utilize the hate crimes law. "Unfortunately, it is extremely unlikely the bill will gain any traction during this legislative session," said Coppola.

Judge Suskauer, who was appointed to the bench by former Governor Rick Scott in 2015, will set a sentencing hearing within the next few months. "Crimes of bias against minorities are on the rise in Florida," said Hoch. "At sentencing, Judge Suskauer will have the opportunity to deter future incidents of hate in Florida when he determines the appropriate punishment in the Jerich case." Since December, 2021, there have been numerous hate crimes in Florida.

In Port St. John, a group of hatemongers placed anti-Semitic signs along the Interstate 95 overpass; At St. Petersburg Catholic High School, Black students have been the target of racist graffiti. Allegations were also made that a Black student was referred to as “slave” by a classmate, a teacher had the word “monkey” carved in a door, and a dean referred to Black students “hoodlums”; In Indianlantic, Melbourne, Miami, Miami Beach, and Surfside, anti-Semitic fliers were placed in the yards of Jewish families in what police believe was a coordinated effort; In Orlando, a group of people wearing Nazi insignias shouted anti-Semitic slurs at cars passing by a shopping plaza; In Orange County, people affiliated with the National Socialist Movement waived Nazi flags at an Interstate 4 overpass; In Daytona Beach, an individual affilliated with the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen Division, placed a 20 minute phone call to Bethune Cookman College, a private historically Black university. The caller said bombs containing C-4 explosives would be detonated at the university and a gunman would open fire on the campus;  In Bonita Springs, the rabbi of the Chabad of Bonita Springs found the word, “Jews” painted across his driveway. His mailbox was damaged and his vehicle window was shattered; In Volusia County, a man shouting the "N word" took a pipe from his truck and smashed the window of a car with two Black people inside; In Palm Coast, a man beat his son, causing lacerations to his lips and face, because the boy was wearing make-up; In Riviera Beach, four men robbed and brutally beat an individual while hurling racial slurs, causing serious injuries, including numerous broken bones and contusions; In the Cherokee Park, Harbor Acres, Oyster Bay, and South Poinsettia neighborhoods in Sarasota County, anti-Semitic fliers stating “Every single aspect of Covid agenda is Jewish” and “Anti-Semitism is a Human Right” were distributed; and  In Tampa, swastikas were drawn on the head of a Jewish student at the University of South Florida and on the clothing of others at the school. Additionally, items mocking the Holocaust were posted on a Greek life website at the school; In Palm Coast and Ormond Beach, bags of rice containing anti-semetic flyers were placed in the driveways in Jewish neighborhoods; and, . At the Daytona 500, masked demonstrators outside the Speedway hoisted two Nazi flags.

Jerich's criminal defense attorney, Robert Pasch, previously defended Jerich on a charge of aggresively driving 84 mph in a 40 mph zone. That incident occured just months after Jerich was charged with reckless driving with property damage in relation to his defacing the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection. Pasch succeeded in having the court withhold adjudication, so all Jerich had to do was complete an 8 hour course in driving school and pay $356 in fines and court costs. "Bobby Pasch got Jerich off with a slap on the wrist in court last year," said Hoch, who has known Pasch for decades. "However, it would be a miscarriage of justice if he succeeds in persuading Judge Suskauer to let Jerich off easily for the crimes he comitted against the LGBTQ community and the City of Delray Beach."

In the eight months since Jerich committed his attack on the LGBTQ Pride Intersection, there have been dozens of Delray Beach City Commission meetings and workshops open to the public. However, Jerich has never appeared to apologize to the elected officials and residents of the City of Delray Beach for his crimes.  Nor has Jerich made any apologies to the LGBTQ community. according to Seaver and Hoch. "Alexander Jerich has shown no remorse from his crimes," said Hoch.

"The justice system cannot allow such acts of hate to go unchecked," said Seaver. "Hate and prejudice must not be allowed to thrive in Palm Beach County. There should be a zero-tolerance policy for people who commit criminal acts based on hate."

"While Jerich pleaded guilty to the 'criminal mischief' felony count, his crime constitutes much more than that charge suggests," said Hoch. "Jerich was not just fooling around with his truck. He sought to make a very public statement against the LGBTQ community. And he did." "Jerich literally left permanent marks of hate for all to see," added Hoch. "For committing a blatant, public, anti-LGBTQ crime at a welcoming public venue representing inclusion, Jerich must be punished severely," said Coppola.

"If Jerich receives a light sentence such as house arrest in his gated community or community service, justice will not have been served for the LGBTQ community," said Hoch. "A light sentence could encourage other anti-LGBTQ hatemongers to come to Palm Beach County and vandalize our LGBTQ public art, knowing they might not face felony convictions or jail time. Is that the message the people of Florida want to send?" "First and foremost, Jerich must be required to immediately pay the City of Delray Beach the full cost to repair the damage done to the Pride Intersection -- approximately $12,000," said Hoch. "Allowing Jerich to make restitution in monthly payments would impose an unfair burden on the taxpayers." "Jerich should also be ordered to stay away from the Delray Beach LGBTQ Pride Intersection for the rest of his life," Hoch added. "When Jerich's committed his crime against the LGBTQ community and the City of Delray Beach, he committed a felony," said Hoch. "As such, Jerich should become a convicted felon, losing his rights to vote and legally own a gun." "Finally, Jerich should spend some time behind bars," said Hoch. "While the maximum five year sentence would be harsh, a one year sentence would be appropriate." Since Jerich has no known prior convictions, he could serve his time in The Main Detention Center on Gun Club Road instead of a Florida Corrections Institution, "The LGBTQ community is very concerned that withholding adjudication on Jerich's felony conviction would send the wrong signal to others of his ilk," said Hoch."Actions should have consequences -- especially actions of hate that cause harm to minority communities.". "Years from now, Jerich could petition the court to have his rights restored," said Hoch. "But for now, for justice to be done, Alexander Jerich's rights and liberties must be curtailed".