JPSO: Metairie man faces hate crime in abortion clinic vandalism

NEW ORLEANS, LA (WVUE) - A Metairie man was arrested Aug. 6 in connection with the alleged vandalism of an abortion clinic.

William Kennedy, 27, faces a hate crime charge and a charge of simple criminal damage to property.

Investigators say surveillance cameras captured Kennedy ripping the signage down at the Causeway Medical Clinic on Ridgelake Drive in the early morning hours of Aug. 1.

The state's hate crime law protects people and property targeted because of an affiliation or perceived affiliation with an organization. FOX 8 legal analyst Joe Raspanti said the hate crime charge could mean a longer sentence if Kennedy is convicted.

"Simple criminal damage to property to that extent could be deemed a felony," Raspanti said. "You superimpose a hate crime on it, that is consecutive crime stacked on, which means whatever time or penalty he gets, it does not run concurrent with the hate crime.It runs consecutive, on top of it."

Workers at the clinic told FOX 8 that Kennedy was targeting their building, and that they believe he also ripped down another sign from the building in May.

Copyright 2015 WVUE. All rights reserved.