Eugene man charged with attempted murder, hate crimes after attacking motel owner in Redmond
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DESCHUTES COUNTY, OR (KPTV) — A 53-year-old Eugene man is being charged under Oregon’s revised “hate crime” law after he attacked a motel owner in Redmond last week.
The Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office said James Lamb has been charged with second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault, second-degree burglary, strangulation, menacing, second-degree criminal mischief, and two counts of first-degree bias crime.
According to the district attorney’s office, Lamb was a guest at the Hub Motel in Redmond on New Year’s Eve when he broke into the manager’s office and attacked the 70-year-old owner.
The owner reportedly suffered broken bones and is still recovering in the hospital. She is expected to survive.
The district attorney’s office said Lamb is charged with bias crimes because he made statements about the victim’s country of origin being India and he expressed desire to “rid America of people like her.”
District Attorney John Hummel released a statement after an indictment was filed, saying:
“The victim of this unprovoked assault provided heroic testimony to the grand jury from her hospital bed. Too many people in Oregon are silenced by intimidation and violence because of how they look, who they love, or to whom they pray. Because of this woman’s strength, and because the Oregon Legislature passed a law last year to strengthen Oregon’s hate crime law, justice will be delivered in this case. Hate is not tolerated in Deschutes County.”
Lamb’s next court date is scheduled for Friday.
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