Justice has finally been served in Bellingham,
Washington
, but the hate crime that came about on June 12, 2024, cannot be entirely overturned. After cold-cocking an 11-year-old Black boy as he was returning from a
school field trip,
Paul Jonathan Bittner, a 43-year-old white man from Ukiah,
California
, earned a 41-month prison sentence. Bittner suddenly broke out in a tirade of racist epithets after hitting the child in the face, even as he was conversing with a white friend.
Statements by witnesses and court filings provide proof of Bittner’s frequent references to the boy’s race both during and after the hate crime. Even while he was being arrested, he made concerning remarks about injuring Black people and continued to use the n-word. The child
suffered a nose injury
and a cracked tooth as a aftermath of the attack.
A Hate Crime That Rocked Bellingham
Whatcom Middle School was only a few feet away when the attack took place. Bittner was said to have fallen into the group of students strolling back from the Pickford Film Center, zeroing in on the 11-year-old boy who had been talking to a white friend. Then he hit viciously and without provocation. As stated in the court filings, he caused the child “immense pain.”
Bittner pleaded guilty to a felony hate crime and second-degree child assault. Neglected public defender had listed neglected mental disorder as the likely cause of what they dubbed a “very unfortunate situation.” Bittner had previously been deemed unfit for a trial and has been confirmed to have bipolar type and schizoaffective disorder.
A man is facing charges for a hate crime and assaulting a child after police said he punched an 11-year-old Black student in the face during a school field trip. Bellingham police said it’s clear from video of the incident and statements made during and after the assault that the student was being targeted because of his race. Police arrested 42-year-old Paul Bittner who is now facing charges for a hate crime and assaulting a child.
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Before the legal proceedings started over he got 90 days of inpatient psychiatric treatment.
Yet, the defense declared that a mental health diagnosis cannot wipe out the horrible outcomes of a hate crime. Judge Evan Jones handed out a sentence of 41 months in jail and 18 months of community custody, referring to the “tremendous impact” that the crime had on society at large. To further protect the victim, a ten-year
no-contact order
was put into effect.
“He’s in a Great Place”: Recovering, But With Scars
DeVante Blow, the boy’s father, told
The Bellingham Herald
that his family has been paying attention to getting better. He replied, “I’m feeling as if justice was served, and the community is safer.”
Prosecutors brought up Bittner’s “substantially different temperament” after treatment in court.
However, the psychological fallout hangs over the child. “I was mad, sad, confused,” he
said to KIRO 7
, describing a day that quickly went from regular to traumatic.
In a statement, Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund said, “Hate isn’t welcome in Bellingham, and we continue to stand with them and with our community against hate and discrimination.”
Rebecca Mertzig, the police chief, concurred with this opinion, admiring the swift actions taken by law enforcement and promising that they would continue to investigate hate crimes with commitment.
Bittner’s trial, one of the most heavily attended in the past few years, packed the courtroom with people. Kristina Michele Martens, a former council member, pointed out the value of public support in the fight against racism.
