CORINTH, Miss. – The beating of a gay man in Corinth is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
James Scott is accused of confronting Devin Norman about an alleged post made on social media, that investigators said was apparently sexual in nature. After a verbal exchange in the parking lot of a store Friday night, Corinth Police Chief Ralph Dance said Scott threw Norman down and kicked him several times in the face. Norman suffered two black eyes and a broken cheek bone.
Scott fled the scene, but was later arrested and charged with simple assault, which was upgraded to aggravated assault Monday after it was confirmed Newman suffered broken bones.
While Norman and several others told investigators that Norman was beaten because he is gay, Dance said they had not yet reached that conclusion, but were trying to determine if Scott should be charged with a hate crime. The case is expected to be considered by an Alcorn County grand jury.
