A homeless man in New York City smiled in court during his arraignment hearing for a series of suspected hate crimes carried out in Manhattan.
Todd Lyons, 33, appeared to crack a smile during his Sunday morning arraignment hearing as he learned he was going to be charged with felony and misdemeanor assault for three attacks on white victims, the New York Post reported.
Police say he was free on two previous assault charges and had committed up to seven new racially-motivated attacks.
Law enforcement sources told the Post Lyons would use wood from a chair, his fists, or bricks to attack his victims, leaving them knocked to the ground and wounded.
“Get off the street, honky, you f–king honky, you don’t belong here,” Lyons, who is black, allegedly screamed at a 58-year-old before punching him in the face in Chelsea two weeks ago, law-enforcement sources told the Post
“This appears to be a pattern of attacks based on race,” prosecutor Jennifer Bilinkas told Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Jay Weiner at Lyons’ arraignment.
Lyons’ attorney, Henry Wells, said his client is homeless and has no criminal record.
Lyons is being held in jail on $10,000 bond and is due back in court on August 29.
Alleged race-based attacks have been occurring more frequently in the U.S.
Last month, a suspected gunman was caught on video yelling, “I don’t like white people in my hood,” while shooting in their direction.