BLOOMINGTON — The state of Indiana has dropped the charges against a woman accused of committing a hate crime by allegedly attacking an Asian woman while riding a city bus in Bloomington earlier this year.
A motion to dismiss the state charges against Billie Davis, 56, was filed by attorney Jeffrey Kehr on April 25.
“The fact that form the basis of the federal charges are the same operative facts that form the basis of the charges here. As such, it is appropriate for these charges to be dismissed in order for the federal charges to proceed without delay,” the motion states.
Police say an 18-year-old Indiana University student told investigators she was riding a Bloomington Transit bus on Jan. 11. When she stood up to wait for the doors to open at her exit, she said another passenger began striking her repeatedly in the head.
Police said the attacker had fled the scene before they arrived, but another passenger followed her and helped officers track her down.
In surveillance video, Davis can be seen stabbing the woman seven times.
According to court documents, police believe the student was targeted by Davis because of her race and that the attack was racially motivated.
Davis faced charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery use when the assault poses a substantial risk of death and battery by means of a deadly weapon.
She was indicted by a federal grant jury in Evansville on April 20. The Department of Justice said the jury found that she caused bodily injury to the victim due to her race and national origin.
