'Homophobic' Knife Attack At Crown Fried Chicken: Suspect Gets Hate Crime Charges

BED-STUY, BROOKLYN — A Prospect Heights resident who allegedly attacked three strangers in the Crown Fried Chicken outpost on Fulton and Franklin while calling them anti-gay slurs on has been indicted on hate crime charges, prosecutors said Wednesday.

James Thomas, 32, is charged with first-degree assault as a hate crime, among other charges, according to Eric Gonzalez, the acting district attorney for Brooklyn.

Thomas is accused of shouting "homophobic slurs" at customers inside the Crown Fried at 1147 Fulton St., then slashing two men with a knife — one in the face, and the other in the torso and shoulder — and threatening to slash a third man after pushing him to the ground.

The victims had just left Langston Club, a gay club located about two blocks away, police said.

Both men who were stabbed were treated at a nearby hospital for their wounds. One of them received 18 stitches on his face, and the other three stitches in his torso, authorities said.

Thomas allegedly turned himself in about four days after the attack.

"In Brooklyn, everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or religion must be able to safely walk the streets without fear of being senselessly attacked," Gonzalez said in a statement. "This defendant’s alleged actions were particularly egregious as he attacked three innocent people simply because he perceived them to be gay."

Thomas, a Prospect Heights resident, is scheduled to appear again in court in May. He is being held in custody on $150,000 bail.

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