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Suspects in Beating of White, Mentally Disabled Man Charged with Hate Crime

CBN

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Four black suspects are facing a judge in Chicago Friday after being charged with a hate crime in the assault of an 18-year-old white man with special needs.
    
Chicago police say felony charges are expected against the four who beat the 18-year-old man in an assault that was broadcast live on Facebook.

"Look at him -- tied up," one of the assailants can be heard saying in the video.

The video shows suspects Jordan Hill, Tesfaye Cooper, along with Brittany and Tanishia Covington, beating and taunting the man.

The attackers can be heard in the video using racial slurs against whites and President-elect Donald Trump.

Investigators call the vicious attack sickening, saying the assault went on for hours until police found the man disoriented and walking along a street.

"Let me be very clear: The actions in that video are reprehensible - that along with racism have absolutely no place in the city of Chicago or anywhere else for that matter against anyone regardless of their race, gender, state of mental health or any other identifying factor," Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said.

Police say the victim, a suburban resident reported missing by his family, was held for two days -- bound, beaten, cut with a knife, forced to drink toilet water and verbally abused by his captors.

"It appears that he was in that physical position, tied up in the corner for about four or five hours," Chicago Police Commander Kevin Duffin said.

President Barack Obama was asked about his reaction to the Facebook video.

"It's terrible," the president replied. "And part of what technology allows us to see now is the terrible toll that racism and discrimination and hate takes on families and communities."

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