Supremacists sentence for racial beating

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HOUSTON, July 23 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Houston Monday sentenced three white supremacists to prison for their racially motivated beating of a black man last year.

The U.S. Justice Department said U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt sentenced Brian Kerstetter, 33, to 77 months in prison, while Charles Cannon, 26, was given a 37-month prison term and Michael McLaughlin, 41, received 30 months. All three, who were convicted by a federal jury April 16, must also serve three years of supervised release after their prison terms.

Authorities said the trio -- shirtless to display tattoos know to represent white supremacist beliefs -- had surrounded the victim, a 29-year-old African-American waiting at a bus stop in downtown Houston Aug. 13, and punched and kicked him in the head and body. At least one of the attackers used a racial slur, authorities said.

The three men were arrested at the scene after a passerby called 911.