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Man charged with hate crime in assault of transgender woman

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A deejay has been charged with a hate crime after police say he assaulted a transgender woman at an Omaha bar.

The Omaha World-Herald (http://bit.ly/1I91FGX ) reports 45-year-old Stephen E. Thompson was charged Monday with one count of third-degree assault that is being prosecuted as a hate crime. A police report says 27-year-old Kara Jeslyn Barone was at a bar for a party Friday when she was assaulted.

Barone told authorities she went into the women's restroom when Thompson tried to force his way in. Barone said she pushed him outside the door and locked him out. She said when Thompson's girlfriend, who was in the restroom, opened the door, Thompson punched her and shouted anti-gay slurs.

Thompson was arrested that night and is being held on a $50,000 bail. It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney.

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Information from: Omaha World-Herald, http://www.omaha.com

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