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Anita Alvarez
Cook County State's Attorney
Communications Department
Chicago, IL 60602
(312) 603-3423
saomedia@cookcountygov.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

February 24, 2010

Three Evanston men who assaulted a man on a CTA train last month have been arrested and are being charged with a hate crime in connection with the attack, according to the Office of Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

The three had been facing misdemeanor battery charges but those charges were upgraded following an investigation by the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Chicago Police Department.

Kevin McAndrew and Benjamin Eder, both 23, and Sean Little, 21, all of Evanston, now face felony hate crime and aggravated battery charges for the January 10 attack which took place in the early morning hours on the CTA Red Line, according to prosecutors.

“No one should have to endure the pain and humiliation of a hate crime, which is a truly repugnant act,” Alvarez said.  “The damage of a crime such as this goes well beyond the original victim and permeates the entire community. These crimes are taken seriously and they will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” 

According to prosecutors, the 33-year-old victim was riding on the CTA Red Line when he noticed the defendants harassing and making anti-gay remarks to another passenger. The victim attempted to intercede and the defendants then turned their attention to him and began to physically attack him. During the attack the defendants called the victim a “faggot” and made other disparaging remarks about gays.

When the train arrived at the Argyle Station, the victim and the defendants exited and the altercation continued until Chicago Police Officers intervened. Chicago Police arrested the defendants and they were each charged with misdemeanor battery.

After learning of the circumstances of the crime, prosecutors began to review the case for more serious charges and approved hate crime charges against the defendants.

McAndrew, Little, and Eder were taken in to custody yesterday when they appeared in court for the original misdemeanor battery case. Today they appeared at the Cook County Criminal Courthouse at 26th and California where Judge Ramon Ocasio set each defendants bond at $10,000.

The case was continued to March 17th. 

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