A San Diego man was sentenced to 44 days in jail, with credit for time served, for repeatedly punching a transgender person earlier this year at an East Village homeless resource center, the San Diego City Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.
Tony Taverlia McQueen, 57, pleaded guilty to battery in that case, as well as a felony theft charge in a separate case and was sentenced Monday, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors say the victim was at the San Diego Homelessness Response Center in May when McQueen directed a homophobic slur toward the person, then punched the victim four times in the head. The victim was not seriously hurt in the attack and was able to fight McQueen off, the City Attorney’s Office said.
In addition to jail time, McQueen was placed on two years of probation and ordered to stay away from the homeless center, which officials say he frequented.
“Every person should be able to live a peaceful and dignified life free from intimidation and violence,” San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott said. “Crimes like this have no place in our society. We strongly encourage victims and witnesses of hate crimes to come forward so that we can seek justice for our communities.”
— City News Service