Mallory Owens is recovering at USA Medical Center in Mobile from what her family is calling a brutal hate crime.
"He tried to kill her. He's lucky he didn't kill her. She's lucky to be alive," her mother Kristi Taylor said. "I didn't recognize her when I got here. It's hard to look at her like that," she cried.
The twenty-three year old was celebrating Thanksgiving at her girlfriend's house in Mobile Thursday night, when her mother says her girlfriend's brother attacked her, just for being gay.
"She was invited over by the family to eat Thanksgiving. I did not want her to go, I begged her not to go, knowing how the family felt about her. But she said, 'They're trying to be nice.'"
Mallory's mother says this isn't the first time he's attacked her. Earlier this year, family members tell News 5 that Travis Hawkins Jr. hit Mallory over the head with a pipe wrench. She was injured, but the family did not pursue charges after that incident.
This time, she was beaten so badly that she's almost unrecognizable. She had to have facial reconstruction surgery, with metal plates put in her cheek bones. Her sister Avery has been by her side ever since.
"I want him behind bars for life," said Avery Godwin. "He doesn't need to be out, because if he does he could do this to someone else or he'll finish it off with my sister."
Her accused attacker is 18-year-old Travis Hawkins Jr. He was arrested Sunday on the second degree assault charges. He bonded out soon after.
Mobile's District Attorney met with police investigators first thing Monday morning. "We've got this," said D.A. Ashley Rich. "We're on top of this, and we're making sure that the case is proceeding down the criminal path." Rich says she has no reason to call it a hate crime at this point in the investigation.
"We are assessing her injuries, everything regarding her hospital stay. But at this time, he is charged with causing serious physical injuries to her, which is assault second degree under the laws of the State of Alabama."
Not a hate crime? How in the hell can something like this, whihc seems to have NO provocation other than the sexual identity of the victim, be called anything but?
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| Mallory Owens after attack. Photo courtesy of the New Civil Right Movement. |
If this had been my daughter than prison would be the ONLY safe place for him to be, I can promise you that.
If you would like to help to bring this homophobic piece of garbage to justice, you can sign a petition to do so here.
He deserves worse than he'll ever get. And where was the rest of the family while this was happening? Sickening.
ReplyDeleteIt seems the MOTHER was egging it on.
DeleteWe have to all tweet this out as a #HATECRIME so its gets the attention it deserves!
DeleteThis asshole attacked her more than once and yes it is a Hatecrime!
And will be in AL! Tweet this out. Lets Get Justice for Mallory!
O M G! Only a monster will do that to another human. I hope they lock that monster up for life, and I mean all of his natural life.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe he was allowed bail.
Bless her heart. God comfort and heal Mallory. Amen.
ReplyDeleteYep, god can fix it all! And if he can't then this is something that can be fixed with guns. They all need to get their guns out, the whole family, and leave it to the last man/women standing to be declared the winner. Hurry up god, you're being called! LOL
DeleteSigned. That monster will kill someone unless he’s taken off the street.
ReplyDeleteI’ve known people who don’t like nor understand gay folks, but they usually just cross their arms and go to a corner.
You shouldn't have to sign a petition for the person who committed this crime to be punished for it.
ReplyDeleteAnd of course we are all left wondering what exactly the conversation was that "set this guy off" - and what exactly the home life this young man experienced to put him in the position of such hate and anger.
My sister used to wait for big family gatherings to announce to the world that my homosexuality was a complete embarrassment to her life and friends. My parents would just stare at their plates with forlorn smiles. If I said anything back to her, she would bait her pimple-faced boy friend to "Go get him, Denny!" Later, Mom would tell me that God forgives me and that she and Daddy would always love me.
DeleteSorry to hear about this as I have sister problems all the time!
DeleteAfter she did it the first time, you KNOW what you should have done. Shame on you.
DeleteI agree with you Gryphen, he would be safer in jail because this POS would be on my shit list and I don't keep things on my shit list forever.
ReplyDeleteShe had better lawyer up quickly, and not with some local yokel. A civil judgement is almost guaranteed and the parents may be liable for aiding and abetting a felon if he's convicted.
ReplyDeleteShe can force the entire family into poverty if done correctly.
I wouldn't hesitate.
Signed and passed on.
ReplyDeleteUnfuckingbelievable
This is terrible. I do question the use of the word "homophobic" to describe him, though. It seems too kind and implies a simple fear of LGBT people. That piece of shit is hateful and dangerous.
ReplyDeleteThe bigot is a coward as well.
DeleteIt's like fearbiter dogs, if that helps.
DeleteI hate the word homophobic- they're not afraid. They're bigots. Or, if you prefer, one of my coworkers uses 'heterosupremacist.'
DeleteHold it. Something majorly doesn't make sense here.
ReplyDeleteThe brother of a gay woman beats up her girlfriend. Has he ever beaten up his sister for being gay? Was he "okay" with this sister being gay but not her girlfriend? How was he able to take off on the girlfriend?
There are lots of family dynamics here that just don't make any sense. And neither the news article or Gryphen have asked the right questions.
phoebes, I believe that is EXACTLY why the attorney general has made the comments she did. There are far too many questions that haven't been answered as far as the PUBLIC is concerned.
DeleteThe attorney general HAS to be cautious in any statements she makes because the defense can jump on ANY statements which seem prejudicial. Besides, NOTHING she has said precludes the possibility of the charges being raised to all sorts of real felony charges, including possible attempted murder.
How about we wait for them to do their job.
Please note: I am NOT condoning what this POS has done! Violence of this sort is despicable and needs SEVERE punishment. Further, if I were the sister of this garbage, I would permanently disinherit him and his ilk. And that also includes the FAMILY!
The father probably was egging the son on. Considering the family's footnote on their past, he has the whole damned family intimidated and scared shitless of him, abuses his wife, probably raped his daughter, and is making sure to mold his son into the perfect little "christian taliban" man in complete control of those around him.
DeleteNote there hasn't been any comments from the girlfriend / sister, and douche was bailed out almost immediately.
That pattern matches patriarchal authoritarian tyrant model.
I can also almost bet that the fight started because Ms. Owens was standing up for her girlfriend over the verbal abuse that was heaped on her head over the dinner table.
He should be locked up - and the door should be welded shut.
ReplyDeletePeriod.
Done.
Never again allowed among people.
No reprieve, no appeal.
why in heaven's name did mallory return to that house after her release from the hospital. it is not going to help the criminal case.
ReplyDeleteSimple. Mallory believes in humanity.
DeleteShe has a good heart.
maybe it had something to do with being hit on the head with a pipe wrench?
Deletei don't mean after the pipe wrench episode...i mean after this beating. there is a photo of her having returned to the house after being released from the hospital with her face injuries showing.
Deletewtf
As Professof Higgins said, "Why can't a woman be more like a man"?
DeleteI wish I'd looked at all the links on the news site, I can't believe she doesn't consider it a hate crime! I can't understand why beating someone who's gay isn't considered a hate crime in Alabamastan!
DeleteSorry, but no one, no one, for any reason deserves to be beaten within millimeters of death. Lock him up and throw away the key.
I really have a problem with people who fetishize and fantasize about prison violence, vigilante violence, prison rape, all the revenge fantasies that society outsources to the incarcerated. Are incarcerated criminals supposed to carry out the punishment delivering end of the justice system? Its a sick attitude that so many people cling to when confronting violence like this, and it is really not much better than the violent behavior that pissed you off in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI can´t argue with you. You speak the truth. But I do it because it comforts me to believe some (not all) prisoners get what they deserve. I like to believe prisoners are people who recognize injustice and are in a position to right wrongs. There is no doubt in my mind there are people who do not deserve to be prisoners, who are far lower than the incarcerated, and who do not belong among the incarcerated.
Delete9:03, when speaking of those whom you feel "do not deserve to be incarcerated" and are "lower than the incarcerated", I use the term "lower than whale shit".
DeleteAnonymous8:43 AM
DeleteI really have a problem with people who fetishize and fantasize about prison violence, vigilante violence, prison rape, all the revenge fantasies that society outsources to the incarcerated.
***************
And so what about their raped, murdered, beaten, killed victims? What do you have to say about that?
Poor prisoner, 3 hots and a cot and mealy-mouth like you to protect their "rights".
Yeah, but I haven't seen anything close to this mentioned in this thread, until you brought it up.
DeleteCrime isn't pretty, and prison should be uglier than crime, or why bother?
A clear case of attempted murder.
ReplyDeleteDo not underestimate Mallory Owens.
She is young.
She will recover.
And she will arise stronger than ever.
Anon 8:26, there are millions of decent people who support you. Millions.
To all you gays who love to invade my space and kiss two inches from my face: I´m on your side. Knock it off. No one likes public displays of affection. Back off us Asians (You know I´m right).
Another pencil dick heard from.
DeleteI wonder if the whole thing was premeditated by the family of the "girlfriend." What horrible people.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
I guess it's safe to assume the perpetrator is a Christian.
ReplyDeleteNot really, 8:25. All three os the Abrahamic religions "condemn" homosexuality and even cross dressing in some cases.
DeleteIs it PROBABLE? Yes, considering the attitudes of many of the Xtians and that we are here in the USA. But it isn't "safe to say."
Alabama? Are your kidding?
DeleteThis young man is going to get a butt-full of gay education doing his time.
ReplyDeleteI have tears running down as I read this. Disgusting, I am almost sick to my stomach. But where was her girlfriend and the rest of her family? Did they all do nothing?
ReplyDeleteIt's a hate crime and I hope the family looks into federal hate crime charges. The federal charges may be the road to take.
Little Rabbit
An article I read said the guy's family "stood by and watched" and this was not the 1st time he attacked this girl. He had previously hit her over the head with a crowbar and no charges were filed! Call the Alabama district attorney and ask that they file attempted murder charges on this creep - the number is (251) 574-8400!
DeleteAt ANON 8:26
ReplyDelete(((hugs))))
Signed.
ReplyDeleteWe had a similar person in my extended family. I recognized the hidden rage he barely suppressed and eventually it boiled over; he beat his wife senseless, abused his children, and she finally got up the nerve to divorce him. I am so thankful he's out of my life; I was always nervous about going around him.
My sister married a rednecked Southerner who used to verbally abuse her - until I took him aside and told him that if I EVER heard of him doing it again he had better leave the state. Permanently.
DeleteShe finally wised up and left his ass when he got into another form of abuse - ordering her around like a slave.
I caught him doing that once when he ordered her to "get my drink from the table". (It was three feet away.) When he saw me looking at him the same way I did the last time, he stopped doing it where I MIGHT hear him.
Two weeks later she filed. I think she FINALLY realized why NONE of us liked him. But it took her long enough!
It's family training. It might be sub-conscious, but it is still family training
According to local news in Mobile, she is out of the hospital and recovering at the very home where the beating took place. The same home the abuser resides. Sounds like a domestic violence issue to me. I can't imagine returning to the home where that happened. Hopefully, there is a women's abuse expert in the area that can help this young woman.
ReplyDeletewhy????? she should be with her sister or her mom - how frightening to return to house where this abuse occurred -- domestic abuse never ends - you have to leave the situation
DeleteI'm really surprised the hospital allowed her to be discharged to the home. ?
DeleteI don't understand that. It's obviously not a safe environment for her.
Call the District Attorney's office in Mobile, AL at (251) 574-8400 and request they file attempted murder charges against this cretin! He should be jailed for life!
ReplyDeleteThe family should also be held responsible,they stood by and did nothing,
ReplyDeleteI think so too!
DeleteNFL player defends right to use word “f*ggot” in public
ReplyDeletehttp://americablog.com/2012/11/tank-carder-gay-slur-twitter-nfl.html
Cleveland Browns linebacker Tank Carder tweets homophobic slur, apologizes
http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/11/26/3695446/tank-carder-tweets-homophobic-apology
I love the gradual erosion as the tweets progress. "If I offended anyone... I'm sorry"
DeleteTo
"That tweet doesn't define me"
The boy's got some issues, guess his first is being named "Tank" and his second one is self loathing ;-D
No doubt the brother is a republican evangelical who listens to rush and watches fox. He should be executed.
ReplyDeleteHe is one sick SOB!
ReplyDeleteI just linked on this and saw the picture of her in the hospital. I lost my breath and let out an OH MY F-ing GOD!! My wife and I have a gay friend and 3 lesbian friends (2 are a couple). They are all wonderful people and have been very good friends over the years. I agree with Grif that if this happened to any of them, justice would have been served quickly - over a period of time. Good Lord, feel free to disagree, but don't go violent. That is just assault and is a crime. Disagreeing is just that - a difference of opinion.
ReplyDeleteHow could anyone harm that beautiful girl? I know violence is not the answer, but maybe he should experience some of what he inflicted on another.
ReplyDeleteI'm one who doesn't believe in the death penalty, but this one's got me seriously reconsidering. No one deserves to be beaten like Mallory, for any reason. Mallory's only "sin" is believing they were trying to be nice by inviting her.
ReplyDeleteI signed the petition last night and then sent an email to the attorney general - ashleyrich@mobileda.org
She needs to know people, everywhere, are watching and want justice served.
I understand it's in the early stages of investigation, Ashley Rich had a case of the father of the perp being arrested on charges he shot at his son, but had to drop it because the perp refused to press charges.
This is a hate crime, and goes beyond simple assault, the whole family is complicit for doing nothing to protect Mallory.
Thanks, Gryphen, for bringing this to a wider audience, and for your most touching post.
Mallory needs to know there are people who support her. Please sign the petition and pass it on.
fucking ignorant idiot needs to spend a few decades - perhaps longer- in a jail cell. he may not be redeemable, who knows, but this is a fucked up act of aggression and violence and the guy should be put away.
ReplyDeleteIf he IS convicted and put in jail with the general population, he will find out really quickly exactly how tough he is. Compared to those guys, this fool is a wimp.
ReplyDeleteHE beats up on young women. THEY beat up on really physically fit TOUGH MEN!
(Can I watch?)
thank you for bringing this to our attention.
ReplyDelete