Two Des Moines men charged with a hate crime for beating a man have pleaded guilty in Polk County court.

 

Joesph Rossing (left) and Robert Shelton (right 
The two savage white men of Des Moines

Two savage white Des Moines men charged with a hate crime for beating a man have pleaded guilty in Polk County court.

One of them is a rabid white supremacist

By Edward Era Barbacena

Joseph Rossing, 35, and Robert Shelton, 49, both of Des Moines, were charged with assault in violation of individual rights causing bodily injury, among other offenses, in the April 17 attack. Rossing's hate crime charge was later dismissed; Shelton pleaded guilty to a hate crime.

According to police, the two men, both white, were meeting to discuss the sale of some kids' scooters when the victim, a Black man also of Des Moines, slowed his car and told the men to stop their children from riding the scooters in the street. The two men pried the man's car door open and assaulted him, shouting racial slurs, the victim told police.

The man sustained cuts to his face and ear. Shelton reportedly told police as he lied the man had struck him, but police saw no marks other than the victim's blood on him.

Rossing, who had a prior conviction for an assault, is reportedly a member of a white supremacist gang, according to the police report.

Court filings show Shelton pleaded guilty on Oct. 13 to burglary, criminal mischief and assault in violation of individual rights, which is Iowa's hate crime statute. He is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 8. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend five years of probation and a 15-year suspended prison sentence, and to dismiss two additional assault charges.

In his guilty plea, Shelton admitted to using racial and other epithets during the assault. He also wrote in plea documents that during the attack, Rossing removed his shirt, exposing a swastika tattoo, and "pounded on his chest in that area to make his presence known to (the victim) as he assaulted him."

Rossing entered an Alford plea on Oct. 20, meaning he maintains his innocence but agrees the state has sufficient evidence to convict him. He pleaded to harassment, burglary and willful injury. Prosecutors have dismissed criminal mischief and assault in violation of individual rights charges, and the parties have agreed to recommend consecutive sentences totaling 17 years, according to plea documents.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to pursue a habitual offender enhancement against Rossing. His sentencing is set for Dec. 17.