A Maryland man was charged with several offenses, including a hate crime, after he allegedly targeted his Black neighbors in two different incidents that took place within weeks of each other.

According to Charles County deputies, 50-year-old Michael Gerard Benedict was arrested for two separate incidents that took place on April 4 and April 28.

On April 4, deputies were called to Benedict’s neighborhood to respond to a dispute with two of his Black neighbors, according to charging documents cited by the Southern Maryland News Net and the Longview News-Journal.

The victims told responding officers that Benedict, who is white, yelled “You stupid n—rs” and “n—rs with big lips” at them when they arrived home. Benedict then allegedly threw sticks and other objects into their yard, while sho

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