We, the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Bar Association of Saint Louis, denounce individual and systemic racism in all its forms, and publicly express our solidarity and sympathy with the Sánchez Family of Saint Louis for the continuous, vile, and racist harassment suffered at the hands of Ms. Judy Ann Kline from January 2022 until at least February 2023, which may unfortunately continue. We share the frustration of the Sánchez Family in the response and investigation by law enforcement authorities. In the interests of timely justice, public safety, and trust, we urge the Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department to treat this case, and other, similar cases of racial animus and harassment with the due urgency and respect they deserve.
The history of racism and oppression of Hispanic Americans and other descendants of the Latine Diaspora in our country spans hundreds of years. The consequences of historical and current mistreatment continue to be experienced both at a societal level and as embodied in the health and well-being of Hispanic individuals. As legal professionals, we are all too aware that underlying this case and cases similar to it are patterns of persistent racial inequities and disparities. There exists video evidence that the aggression suffered by the Sánchez Family was racially motivated, and this racially motivated aggression fits within these historic patterns.
For these reasons, Missouri law provides enhanced penalties for motivational factors in certain offenses which the state believes to be knowingly motivated by the race, color, and national origin of the victim or victims, among others. Based on the evidence of racial motivation present in this case, we respectfully urge the Circuit Attorney to consider the acts perpetrated against the Sánchez Family as hate offenses and charge them accordingly. Finally, we respectfully urge the Circuit Attorney to also do that which is within its power to seek mental health treatment for the perpetrator of these hate offenses. Only through accountability can reconciliation be achieved.