Share this @internewscast.com

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines woman has pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes for intentionally driving her SUV into two children in 2019 because she said she thought one was Mexican and the other was a member of the Islamic State group.

Nicole Poole Franklin, 43, entered the pleas Wednesday in a Des Moines federal court to two counts of violating the U.S. Hate Crime Act for trying to kill the children in separate attacks because of their races. She pleaded guilty Monday to two state counts of attempted murder in the same Dec. 9, 2019, attacks, the Des Moines Register reported.

Prosecutors said Franklin intentionally jumped a curb in Des Moines that afternoon and struck a Black 12-year-old boy, injuring one of his legs. During her hearing Wednesday, Poole said she thought the boy was of Middle Eastern descent and was a member of IS.

Minutes later, Franklin ran down a 14-year-old Latina girl on a sidewalk, leaving her with injuries for which she was hospitalized for two days. Police said Franklin told them she hit the girl because “she is Mexican.” About an hour later, Franklin was arrested at a local gas station, where officers say she had thrown items at a clerk while yelling racial slurs at him and other customers.

Franklin has said she is schizophrenic and has post-traumatic stress disorder. Last year, a judge ruled that she wasn’t mentally competent to stand trial, but she was later restored to mental competency and ordered to face trial.

The federal counts carry a possible life prison sentence, but prosecutors recommended that Franklin be sentenced to 27 years behind bars and that her federal sentence be served at the same time as her state sentence. On the state counts, Franklin faces up to 25 years on each attempted murder count. It wasn’t clear if other state counts, including hate crimes, would be dropped as part as her guilty plea in state court, the Register reported.

Source: huffpost

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Missouri Man Allegedly Sets House on Fire, Walks Away Smiling with Residents Trapped Inside

A man from Missouri has been apprehended on charges of arson following…

Court Rules Against Alina Habba in Latest Legal Maneuver Orchestrated by Pam Bondi

Left: Alina Habba, President Donald Trump”s pick to be the interim U.S.…

Gainesville Resident Apprehended for Allegedly Brandishing Firearm at Two Women

By Staff Writer GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On Friday, 21-year-old Shammari Dewayne Russell…

Dismissed Immigration Judge Files Lawsuit Against Pam Bondi Over Career Setback

Left: President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter as…

Alabama Man Charged with Murder for Financial Gain: Victim and Vehicle Found Buried and Burned, Say Prosecutors

An Alabama man is facing serious charges after allegedly being paid to…

District Attorney Reports Man Used Backhoe to Bury Victim in Murder-for-Hire Case

Left inset: John Collum (Bibb County Sheriff’s Department). Center inset: Oscar De…

Tech-Enabled Terror: How Domestic Abusers are Weaponizing Smart Cars Against Victims

Perpetrators of domestic violence are exploiting their victims’ vehicles, utilizing them to…

Bizarre BBQ Sauce Break-In: Gainesville Man’s Arrest Sparks House Fire Incident

Staff Report NEWBERRY, Fla. – Authorities have detained 20-year-old Evan Hunter Hammock…

Teenager Charged in Violent Bar Incident: Assault in Bathroom and Bouncer Punching

Inset: Sierra H. Lindberg (Alachua County Sheriff”s Office). Background: UF Plaza in…

Truck Driver Sentenced for Injuring Students in Devastating Bus Collision

In a significant development for the students who suffered serious injuries in…

State Court Proceedings Commence in Luigi Mangione Case, One Year After Manhattan Street Murder of Healthcare Executive

On Monday, the man accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson…

Tragic Shooting at Children’s Birthday Party: 4 Killed, Including 3 Kids, and 11 Injured

In a tragic event that has left the Stockton community reeling, four…