Hate Crimes

What is Maine's Law on Hate Crimes

17 MRS §2931 states, “A person may not, by force or threat of force, intentionally injure, intimidate or interfere with, or intentionally attempt to injure, intimidate or interfere with or intentionally oppress or threaten any other person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege, secured to that person by the Constitution of Maine or laws of the State or by the United States Constitution or laws of the United States.” Violation of this statute is a Class D crime, punishable by up to 364 days incarceration and a $2,000 fine.

Maine’s sentencing provisions take into consideration “the selection by the defendant of the person against whom the crime was committed or of the property that was damaged or otherwise affected by the crime because of the race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation or homelessness of that person or of the owner or occupant of that property” (see 17-A MRS §1151).

Maine’s Civil Rights Act provides for “the right to engage in lawful activities without being subject to physical force or violence, damage or destruction of property, trespass on property or the threat of physical force or violence, damage or destruction of property or trespass on property motivated by reason of race, color, religion, sex, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability or sexual orientation” (see 5 MRS §4684-A).

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7/12/2019        A-Z List