Hate Crime Attack Victim Dwan Prince Blames Himself, Pleads for Reduced Sentence for Gaybasher

Source: Rod 2.0

By: Rod McMullon

In a stunning development that could complicate the retrial of Steven Pomie in the 2005 assault of Dwan Prince, the gay Brooklyn man sent Pomie a letter in which he blamed himself for the vicious beating that left him partially paralyzed, Gay City News reports.

"First please allow me to deeply apology for my hated comment," Prince wrote in the July 20 letter, which Gay City News is quoting verbatim. "Please I do hope you know I am truly deeply sorry for what ever was sayed that night. I have made some big mistakes in my life and that was the stupidiest and biggest one of all."

Pomie, now 26, allegedly attacked Prince in Brooklyn’s Brownsville section after the now 31-year-old flirted with him. Pomie first beat and kicked Prince with two other men, and then made a second assault with another man, witnesses said during Pomie’s 2006 trial. When Pomie returned alone to deliver a third beating, witnesses prevented him from attacking Prince, who was lying unconscious on the sidewalk.

"I was at blame so it is my to my strongest degree that you get out as soon as possible," Prince wrote. ... "What I asked the state to do is sentence you to five years and five years parole." He also expressed the hope that they could be friends.

Pomie was convicted on charges of first-degree assault and first-degree assault as a hate crime. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison with the requirement that he serve at least 21 years before being eligible for parole. An appellate court reversed the conviction in 2008 and ordered the retrial on lesser charges of second-degree assault and second-degree assault as a hate crime.

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