Attacker gets 30 months for beating victim he thought was Jewish

The attacker yelled “I want to kill all of the Jews,” as he viciously beat someone he thought was Jewish.

By World Israel News Staff

Izmir Koch, 34, was recently sentenced to 30 months in prison for beating a man he believed to be Jewish in Cincinnati.

The incident happened in February 2017, when Koch, originally from Turkey, stood outside of a restaurant asking people if they were Jewish.

The victim, Paul Marshall replied in the affirmative even though he is not.

Koch then beat him, while shouting “I want to kill all of the Jews.” and “I want to stab the Jews.” A number of others joined in the assault, reported Al-Buraaq News.

Marshall sustained injured ribs and a face fracture below his eye.

Todd Wickerham, a special agent leading the FBI’s office in Cincinnati, said the bureau sought a stiff sentence, reported Cleveland Jewish News.

“We just think the impact of someone being assaulted because of their religious preferences or their background is so impactful in the community that we want to take these cases on to make sure the penalties … really fit the impact of this,” Wickerham said.

“The FBI aggressively investigates hate crime incidents and works closely with impacted communities,” added Wickerham. “Each day we strive to protect civil rights and hold accountable those who violate the rights of others.”

This is the first time in the Southern District of Ohio that someone was convicted under the Matthew Sheppard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

“Individuals should be able to live without fear of attack or intimidation based on their religious beliefs,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division, according to Al-Buraaq News. “Prosecuting hate crimes is a top priority for the Department of Justice and as this sentence today demonstrates, we will not back down from obtaining justice for victims of violence based on hate.”

Koch’s lawyer Carl Lewis filed an appeal.