MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - A vigil for the victims of hate crimes will be held Sunday at the Alabama Capitol.
The Vigil for Victims of Hate and Violence has been held every year since the 1999 death of Billy Jack Gaither. Gaither was killed in Sylacauga on Feb. 19, 1999 by two men who claimed he made advances toward them. He was beaten to death and his body was burned on a pile of kerosene-soaked tires.
The annual vigil seeks to remember the victims of hate crimes and press state lawmakers to recognize them as such.
Alabama’s hate crime law addresses crimes motivated by the victim’s race, religion or ethnicity, but does not include sexual orientation or gender identity.
The vigil begins at 4 p.m. on the Alabama Capitol steps.
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