Galveston prosecutors took the exceedingly rare step this week of filing hate crime enhancements when they charged three men with felony assault for an attack at one of the city’s gay bars.

This marks only the second time the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office has pursued such enhancements, based on the staff’s recollections, said prosecutor Jennifer Ott.

As a result, brothers Lawrence Henry Lewis III, 20, and Lawrneil Henry Lewis, 18, and their cousin, Alejandro Sam Gray, 17 could face an elevated punishment of five to 99 years or life in prison if a jury convicts them of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and agrees they committed a hate crime.

The trio is accused of hurling large rocks or pieces of concrete at patrons inside Robert’s Lafitte in the 2500 block of Avenue Q around 8 p.m. Sunday, injuring two men, including one who tried to chase them.

Marc Bosaw, 57, needed 12 staples to close a laceration to the back of his head, while James Troy Nickelson, 39, was struck in the jaw.

One of the three suspects later told police their intent was to target homosexuals, said Galveston Police Department Lt. D.J. Alvarez. The trio also hurled homophobic insults, authorities said.

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(Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) Tapes with a revealing conversation about the  murder of producer Bryan Kocis were played for the jury deciding the fate of Harlow Cuadra on Tuesday. Kocis’ body was discovered in his home in 2006 by firefighters responding to a blaze in the rural home. More than 80 percent of his body was covered by third-degree burns; police said the fire had been set deliberately to destroy evidence.

Kocis was the owner of Cobra Video. Forensics experts were able to resurrect the hard drive of a computer found at the scene. The contents led investigators to two other gay adult video producers – Cuadra and his lover Joseph Kerekes. 

Police said that the pair had killed Kocis after he refused to hand over the contract of porn star Sean Lockhart.

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