We reported on Kathryn Knott's actions back in September of 2014 with the story Philly Gay Bashing Suspect Kathryn Knott Reportedly Hit Victim In Head & Screamed "Faggots"
The nation was outraged at what this mob did to the victims. When it came to sentence Knott, apparently the judge agreed.
Kathryn Knott was sentenced Monday to 5-10 months in prison for her role in the 2014 beating of a homosexual couple in Center City.
Common Pleas Court Judge Roxanne Covington also handed Knott two years of probation and a $2,000 fine during an afternoon sentencing that concluded a 15-month justice process for the victims, Andrew Haught and Zachary Hesse.
Knott, 25, of Upper Southampton, Bucks County, broke down in tears as Covington delivered the sentence. Her parents consoled Knott and hugged her after the sentence was read, and the victims quickly exited the courtroom.
She was taken into custody immediately after the hearing.
Knott also was ordered by the judge to attend anger management classes, keep out of Philadelphia County during her probation and stay away from the victims.
In issuing her sentence, Covington said she considered the homophobic slurs used by Knott and others in her group to be hate speech, even if Pennsylvania law does not recognize it as such.
She also said she'd struggled to understand how Knott, who worked in the health care industry, could leave ailing victims on the street. Knott was among a group of 15 people who walked to a bar immediately after the beatings. None of them dialed 911 or attempted to assist the victims.
"The entire group walked away from this," Covington said. "Until those faces appeared on the news no one responded – and did so only to save themselves from prosecution." – phillyvoice.com
One shocking fact was that:
Knott's co-defendants, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams, each accepted plea deals that included probation, 200 hours of community service at an LGBT Center and a ban on entering Center City during their probationary period.Knott was offered the same deal as Harrigan, which included three years of probation, Barry said. But she opted to face trial and ended up with the most severe punishment. – phillyvoice.com
Local 6ABC station report is as follows.
For more on the ruling, the reaction in the courtroom, and the excellent reporting of John Kopp, (john@phillyvoice.com) go to phillyvoice.com.
Is this enough time and probation for Knott?
Is it fair that she received the biggest sentence?
Is Philadelphia a safer city after the legal conclusion of this ordeal?
She instigated, she hit and
She instigated, she hit and kicked, and she could be in jail not much longer than the victim was in the hospital.
Her father is a police chief. Keep watch, his friends in the prison or courts have probably already agreed to quietly let her out in a week or so by claiming that the prison us overcrowded.
It’s not enough. If 15 guys
It's not enough. If 15 guys assaulted two white, straight, blonde girls like Knott, they would be imprisoned for years. So 1 conviction, 2 plea deals, and 12 others held unaccountable. I just don't see that happening if the victims were replicas of Knott. You can try to convince me otherwise, but I just don't see it.