Marine Veteran Who Threw a Chair At An Iraqi Restaurant In Portland May Face Jail Time For Hate Crime Charge

Portland prosecutors are seeking felony-level hate crime and assault charges raising questions about how veterans with PTSD should be treated by the criminal justice system.

(Daniel Stindt)

A Marine veteran threw a chair at a waiter in the DarSalam Iraqi restaurant in Portland during a what he says was a breakdown brought on by post traumatic stress disorder last spring.

Multnomah County prosecutors are seeking felony hate crime and assault charges against Damien Rodriguez – charges that carry mandatory prison time.

The New York Times today published an article raising questions about whether Rodriguez's actions merited the heavy-handed charges or whether he would be better served by going through a veterans court that would put him in a treatment program for PTSD rather than put him in jail.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Rodriquez told the Times. "But no one tries to understand what we went through."

The hate crime charge comes amid a rise in crimes motivated by racial and religious bias in Portland. Several schools in the city were recently vandalized with racist graffiti and two men were allegedly murdered by white supremacist Jeremy Christian on a MAX train in May.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.