Man yelling slurs punches Asian American woman walking to work in California, feds say

A California man punched an Asian American woman while she walked to work, federal officials said. Now more than three years later, he has pleaded guilty to a hate crime.

At about 1 a.m. June 14, 2021, Jesse Lindsey, 38, whose last known address was in Fontana, approached a woman who he perceived to be Asian in Culver City, according to a Dec. 11 news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.

Then he yelled at the woman, calling her out for not saying hi to him, authorities said.

That’s when Lindsey punched the woman in the head, causing her to fall to the ground, while yelling expletives at her, officials said.

McClatchy News reached out to Lindsey’s lawyer on Dec. 12 and was awaiting a response.

Emergency personnel took the victim to the hospital for the injuries to her head and ear, and she received about 10 stitches, prosecutors said.

During the interview by police, Lindsey made “derogatory and profane remarks about people of Asian descent,” officials said.

He has been in federal custody since July 18 and was previously in state custody on a prior unrelated conviction, according to the release.

He is scheduled to reappear in court for his sentencing on March 3, officials said.

He is facing a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, prosecutors said.

“Hate-fueled acts of violence have no place in our society,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in the release. “Enforcing civil rights goes to the core of my office’s mission and we will continue to prosecute hate crimes, especially those committed by individuals whose bigotry results in physical harm to victims.”

Culver City is about a 10-mile drive southwest of downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published December 12, 2024 at 2:41 PM with the headline "Man yelling slurs punches Asian American woman walking to work in California, feds say."