Federal Jury Deadlocks in Case of Man Who Assaulted Gay Men & their Pink Poodle

Remember the woman who recently got convicted of obstructing justice in an assault case involving two gay men and their pink poodle? The two men were reportedly walking their dog in Hillsboro, OR, when a guy in an SUV began screaming anti-gay slurs at them and then, when he got out of his vehicle, he was accused of assaulting one of the men with his fists and a foot-long metal wrench. Several witnesses wrote down the assailant's license plate number and he was eventually arrested and charged with 2nd degree intimidation, 2nd degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, reckless driving, and federal hate crime charges.


His wife might have been convicted in this case, but a federal jury found itself deadlocked earlier this week on whether or not 23-year-old George Allen Mason Jr. was guilty of federal hate crimes:

The 12-person jury initially told U.S. District Judge Michael Simon on Monday afternoon that they were deadlocked, just three hours after beginning deliberations. Although Simon sent them back to continue discussions, they issued a second written note Tuesday indicating they could not come to a unanimous decision. Simon declared a mistrial after the presiding juror confirmed that the panel was hopelessly deadlocked. 

The trial stemmed from a March 1, 2013, incident in which Beltier and his partner, Jeremy Mark, were walking their pink-dyed poodle in Hillsboro. Mason and his wife were in their SUV at a stoplight when Mason yelled at the gay couple, saying their dog was "un-American." 

Mason then made a quick U-turn to circle back to the couple in the crosswalk, got out of his vehicle, and hit Beltier with his fists and a metal tool, witnesses testified. He was yelling profanity and anti-gay slurs before and during the attack, according to the victim, his boyfriend and an FBI interview with Mason’s wife.

Mason’s attorney had sought to portray his client as someone with behavioral issues made worse by a lack of medication — not “a gaybasher.” Mason in fact had a gay relationship himself, the lawyer noted, pointing to testimony by Rod Lange of Ohio about their two- to three-week relationship in 2010.

The “altercation” with Beltier occurred because Mason “has a hair trigger,” said his attorney, Jim Halley, adding that Beltier did not attack Beltier because of his sexual orientation. Citing testimony by Mason's wife, the lawyer said Beltier swore at Mason after hearing the "un-American" comment, and that the cursing set off Mason. Beltier had denied saying anything to Mason.

So nutshell: Mason yelled at the guys. He lost his cool (even more) because one of the victims might have swore at his for making fun of them and their dog. He jumped out of his vehicle and assaulted one of the men with his fists and with a metal tool. But it's okay because he forgot to take his meds and because he was in a relationship with another guys two or three years ago.

A new trial for Mason has been scheduled for April 28, 2014.