Women convicted in hate crime at Milwaukee park sentenced to 3 years probation

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Two Milwaukee women learned their fate Friday, after being convicted of a hate crime at a popular downtown Milwaukee park last summer. 

Payton Smith and Miracle Reed were sentenced to three years of probation for beating two women in an incident charged as a hate crime. 

Three months of that probation is to be served in the Community Reintegration Center, completing certain programs. If probation isn't followed, they'll each spend time in jail followed by extended supervision.

The attack happened July 30 at Cathedral Square Park in downtown Milwaukee. 

Authorities said two Muslim women wearing hijabs were sitting at a bench when Reed and Smith approached them, asked where they were from and started punching both women in the head, removing their hijabs in the process. 

Cellphone video captured the attack. 

In court Friday, Smith and Reed both apologized to the victims' families. 

Judge Richards said as part of the sentence, both Reed and Smith have to write apology letters to both victims.