Cathedral Square hate crime attack, restitution ordered in case
Miracle Reed; Payton Smith
MILWAUKEE - Two Milwaukee women sentenced in a 2023 Cathedral Square Park attack were ordered on Friday to pay restitution to the Crime Victim's Compensation Fund.
Court records show Miracle Reed and Payton Smith were each ordered to pay $3,156 in the case. In the attack, the victims said their Hijabs were removed.
Both women pleaded guilty in February to hate crime charges in the case. They were each sentenced to three years of probation.
Case details
The attack happened on July 30. 2023. The Muslim women's attorney said the attack was unprovoked, and the women were beaten up because of how they looked. Investigators said the two women immediately became hostile toward the victims at the park.
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A criminal complaint said the victims told investigators they were with family who were praying in the park and "minding their own business" when Smith approached and asked: "So what's the problem?" Prosecutors said she followed up by asking the victims where they were from.
The complaint said Smith then looked at Reed and said: "You ready?" The victim said Smith then put her in a headlock and punched her. Another victim said Reed began punching her in the back of the head. Both victims said their Hijabs were removed from their heads, the complaint said. A bystander eventually broke up the fight, and the victims said the two women and their 10 children walked away.
Cathedral Square Park
Prosecutors said a third victim was hit and pushed by Smith and Reed while trying to help the two victims that ended up being taken to the hospital by ambulance.
The women were arrested after a bystander flagged down a deputy and pointed them out shortly after the attack. The complaint said they were walking with approximately 10 children, who were present during the attack.
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During interviews with investigators, prosecutors said Smith admitted she hit the two victims twice each and admitted she was in the video footage of the attack shown on the news, saying she had "seen it already."
Prosecutors said Reed initially denied attacking the victims, saying she was drinking and didn't remember it. However, the complaint said she later admitted she was in the video seen on the news, but she denied hitting the victims. According to prosecutors, she was out on bail at the time.