PULLMAN, WA – A 34-year-old former Washington State University teaching assistant in the School of Politics has been sentenced to a week in jail for assaulting another student because he was wearing a MAGA hat.
Patrick Mahoney pleaded guilty Thursday to misdemeanor 4th degree assault in Whitman County District Court in Pullman. Mahoney assaulted a 25-year-old student, Jay Sani on College Hill on the evening of February 28th.
He took Sani’s “Take America Back” hat off his head and threw it into the street. Sani responded by tossing food that he was carrying at Mahoney. Mahoney and a man he was walking with, 24-year-old student Gerald Hoff, then shoved Sani to the ground, and Mahoney punched him.
Sani addressed Judge John Hart during Thursday’s hearing and pointed out the significance of being assaulted over political beliefs. You can listen to Sani’s testimony below.
He asked Judge Hart to sentence Mahoney to the maximum year in jail.
Mahoney addressed Judge Hart and regretted his decision to assault Sani, but he did not apologize for his actions. You can listen to some of his testimony below.
The Whitman County Prosecutor’s Office asked that Mahoney be sentenced to a week in jail. Mahoney’s public defender, Sandra Lockett, asked that any jail time be converted to community service.
Judge Hart sided with the state’s recommendation and expressed concern over the motivation for the unprovoked attack. You can listen to some of his decision below.
Judge Hart sentenced Mahoney to a week in jail, placed him on probation for a year, and ordered that he undergo an anger management evaluation and comply with all treatment recommendations. He must also pay 30 dollars in restitution to Sani and pay another 556 dollars to the state’s victim compensation fund.
Mahoney is still listed as a WSU student, where he has been pursuing a doctorate in the School of Politics. He has been fired from his teaching duties.
The case against Hoff was resolved with a misdemeanor compromise last month. Sani acknowledged that he received satisfaction for his injury in the case against Hoff. That deal resolved the matter with the misdemeanor assault charge against Hoff being dismissed. Hoff is still listed as a WSU student. He was fired from his hourly job at WSU.
