Hearing recesses in suspected hate-crime case

The preliminary hearing in the suspected hate-crime death of Satender Singh recessed this afternoon with a defense attorney asking for a security escort from the courthouse for her and her client.

The request, which defense attorney Kathryn Druliner eventually did not need because the crowd for the hearing dissipated, came after Druliner said she was confronted in a courtroom hallway by a Singh supporter who began shouting at her.

"There's a lot of passion in this case," Druliner said.

Earlier, she kicked off the defense in the case by contending in a brief that the incident had nothing to do with a hate crime but instead was an event that "could have happened anywhere in America, fueled by young people, some under the influence of alcohol..."

"This was an unfortunate mistake in judgment," the brief added.

The hearing resumes at 10 a.m. Wednesday with attorneys expected to address the events at Lake Natoma on July 1. That day the 26-year-old Singh was assaulted and later died, and authorities have charged Druliner's client, Aleksandr Shevchenko, in the closely watched case.

Members of the Satender Justice Coalition, an advocacy group formed in the wake of Singh's death, gay rights groups and other community liaisons were in the courtroom for a case they say has become symbolic of the tensions between local gays and some members of a Slavic evangelical movement that has endorsed anti-gay rhetoric to the point of hate speech.

Shevchenko, 21, had earlier pleaded not guilty to a single felony count of intimidating and interfering with a person's rights -- a hate crime -- for his alleged role in the July fracas.

He remains free on $25,000 bail, as authorities continue to search for Andrey Vusik, 29, the key suspect accused of punching Singh. Authorities had told The Bee earlier that they believe the West Sacramento man fled to Russia shortly after Singh's death.

Assistant District Attorney Rod Norgaard planned to call detectives who interviewed some of the witnesses and friends with Singh that day.

In earlier interviews with The Bee, Singh's friends said a "Russian-speaking" group hurled homophobic epithets and racial slurs at them for hours before Singh was punched.

After he was struck, Singh fell backward and injured his head. He died four days later.

Druliner, who recently joined Shevchenko's defense team alongside David K. Henderson, said the hate crime charge should never have been filed against her client.

"This is a hate crime made out of an infraction: disturbing the peace," she said. "If Satender Singh had lived, he probably would have been the defendant."

Druliner said both groups were exchanging slurs for about six hours at the park.

Vusik and his family, whom Druliner described as "Russian Baptists," had arrived at the Lake Natoma after attending church and were offended by the heavy drinking, swearing and provocative dancing from Singh's group, Druliner said. She said Singh was dancing with a man in a way that simulated homosexual sex.

Friends with Singh disputed similar characterizations given by Vusik's wife, Tatyana, in interviews with The Bee a month after the attack.

Norgaard said he could not comment on Druliner's version but added the "actual facts" will come out in the preliminary hearing.