White guy beat up for nothing more than the color of his skin

This wasn't prosecuted as a hate crime
http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/02/24/967846/two-plead-guilty-in-brutal-gang....
The victim of a brutal beating in Buffalo is on the road to recovery. He says what happened to him amounts to a hate crime. Tonight Brian Milligan's family and friends are hosting a benefit to help him with his medical bills.

This alleged hate crime made national news. The victim is white, his girlfriend is black and witnesses say racial slurs were tossed out as a gang of guys threw punches at him, knocking him unconscious.

Brian Milligan is doing much better these days. For one thing, he can open up his mouth after having his jaw wired shut for six weeks. "When I open it all the way, I can't because it hurts," said Brian.

Speaking is one of the best parts about his recovery because he can now talk to his girlfriend Nicola Fletcher. "He's been doing very good, the bleeding went down in his head. The swelling, and his jaw is getting better," she said.

Brian suffered severe injuries from a beating two months ago. It happened on Genesee Street near Floss. Witnesses say a group of black teenagers attacked him because he's in an interracial relationship. "I still can't remember nothing," said Brian.

This crime sparked a lot of outrage around Western New York and beyond, with many calling for it to be charged as a hate crime. "To me, it totally was a hate crime. They didn't care if they killed him," said Leslie Milligan, Brian's mother.

Brian is frustrated that the police have not arrested anyone for the beating. "Its been like two months and no one got caught yet. Nobody's been talked to. To me, its like they got away with it," said Milligan.

Friends and even strangers came together to support Brian tonight at a benefit in South Buffalo. They raised money to help him pay for his medical bills. Buffalo Common Councilman Mickey Kearns stopped in, promising to push the police department to make solving this case a priority.

"I do think it merits as a hate crime. Here is a young man who was attacked and based on his testimony he feels as though he was singled out based on his color," said Kearns.

Brian went through three surgeries to relieve the bleeding and pressure in his brain. He still has to have a lot of dental work done to fix the damage done to his jaw and teeth. But doctors say he should make a full recovery

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