LOS ANGELES, CA – A Southern California man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a federal hate crime charge for assaulting an Asian American woman in Culver City, an attack that was caught on surveillance footage and involved racial slurs.
Jesse Allen Lindsey, 38, a transient last known to reside in Fontana, entered his plea in Los Angeles federal court to one count of a hate crime. The felony charge carries a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The indictment states that on June 14, 2021, Lindsey attacked the victim, whom he perceived to be an Asian American man, as she was walking to work around 1 a.m. in Culver City. Lindsey, a white man, initially asked the woman for a lighter or cigarette. When she replied that she did not smoke, he began following her and shouted, “You … Asian guy, turn around,” and “You … Asian guy, you don’t belong here,” prosecutors said.
Surveillance footage captured Lindsey yelling, “You can’t say hi to a … white boy?” before punching the woman in the head. The force of the blow caused her to fall into the street and hit her head. While she lay face down, Lindsey continued to shout at her, saying, “You hear what I said … I said good morning, bitch!”
Emergency responders transported the victim to a hospital, where she required 11 stitches to her face. She sustained head and ear injuries, which left her unable to work for a month and caused ongoing pain for over a year.
According to the indictment, after learning from news reports that the assault was being investigated as a hate crime, Lindsey fled California, fearing the enhanced penalties associated with such charges.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 3, 2025.
This case highlights the increasing scrutiny and prosecution of hate crimes in the wake of rising anti-Asian violence. “Hate crimes undermine the fabric of our society,” a federal prosecutor said. “This conviction sends a strong message that such acts of violence will not be tolerated.”
Lindsey’s plea underscores federal efforts to hold individuals accountable for racially motivated violence. The victim, whose name has not been released, has yet to comment publicly.
