Victim uses Facebook to finger suspect

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The victim was attacked on September 9 just off campus of Georgetown University near the intersection of 36th and O streets in the Georgetown neighborhood. He suffered cuts and bruises to his face and also a broken thumb because of the attack. The attacker also yelled homophobic epithets during the attack.

The victim didn’t know the attacker at first, but he thought he must be a Georgetown University student, so he did a search in Facebook and browsed through Facebook profiles and found what looked like his attacker according to Lt. Alberto Jova of the Metropolitan Police Department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit.

The Washington police then prepared a photo shoot of possible suspects and the victim was able to identify the attacker, Phillip Anderton Cooney of Southlake, Texas. The police then charged Cooney with simple assault with a bias/hate crime specification. Cooney was taken into custody by the Georgetown University Public Safety officer during an exam.

Jova said he has never heard of a crime victim using Facebook to help police catch a suspect before. Other campus victims can do the same to catch their attackers.

The "hate/bias specification" means if convicted, he could face a stiffer maximum sentence. A misdemeanor simple assault conviction is punishable by up 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. With the specification for a hate/bias crime, the maximum would be 270 days in jail and $1,500, according to Channing Phillips, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

Georgetown University is investigating the incident and will consider whether Cooney violated the University’s Student Code of Conduct, if so he will be expelled from the University. Till then, he will be allowed to return back to class.

Another great use for Facebook, proving it is more than a social network. Facebook was successfully used to contact a bat strike victim and it also was used recently to raise awareness for the victim who suffered a heinous hate crime attack.