ND Pushing for Hate Crime Law

FARGO, N.D. (AP) -- A recent incident in Fargo in which three Muslim women were threatened in a Walmart parking lot has human rights groups and others pushing for a comprehensive hate crime law in North Dakota.

The idea for a statewide statute is not popular with lawmakers and prosecutors, who say that a specific hate crime law would be harder to prove. They believe that judges already take the nature of an offense in account during sentencing.

Fargo leaders are looking into beefing up local ordinances on hate crimes.

The much-publicized threat captured on an online video last month showed a white woman telling three Muslim women sitting in that "we're going to kill all of you." The woman who made the comment later apologized in a meeting arranged by the Fargo police chief.

(KA)