Cathedral Square Park hate crime attack, women plead guilty
MILWAUKEE - Two Milwaukee women pleaded guilty on Friday, Feb. 2 to hate crime charges in connection with an attack at Cathedral Square Park in July 2023. In the attack, the victims said their Hijabs were removed.
Miracle Reed pleaded guilty to all three charges against her – felony substantial battery (hate crime), disorderly conduct and misdemeanor bail jumping. Payton Smith pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor battery (hate crime). A third charge of disorderly conduct was dismissed but read into the court record for the purposes of sentencing.
Both women are scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 23.
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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.
A criminal complaint says 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 say she followed up by asking the victims where they were from.
Cathedral Square Park
The complaint says 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.
Prosecutors say 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.
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The women were arrested after a bystander flagged down a deputy and pointed them out shortly after the attack. The complaint says they were walking with approximately 10 children, who were present during the attack.
During interviews with investigators, prosecutors say 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 say Reed initially denied attacking the victims, saying she was drinking and didn't remember it. However, the complaint says 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.