A man pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault against a Muslim state representative, Maryam Khan, outside a prayer service in Connecticut. Andrey Desmond, 30, pleaded guilty to attempted third-degree sexual assault, attempted first-degree strangulation, and risk of injury to a minor in a plea deal that includes a five-year prison sentence. Khan’s lawyer expressed that she believed Desmond deserved a longer sentence considering the severity of the attack. Desmond’s attorney stated that he wanted to apologize to Khan, but refrained from doing so at the advice of the judge to avoid having his words used against him.
Desmond, who has a history of mental illness, was found competent to stand trial following a court-ordered evaluation. The plea deal also stipulates that he must register as a sex offender, undergo counseling, and continue taking his medication after serving his sentence. Khan, a Democrat from Windsor, Connecticut, had called for hate crime charges to be brought against Desmond for the attack, which occurred while she was attending a service at the XL Center arena in Hartford with her family to celebrate Eid al-Adha, the end of the Hajj pilgrimage.
At the hearing, Khan’s attorney stated that she is requesting privacy to process the events of the day but looks forward to the sentencing on June 4th. Khan reports being attacked by Desmond after he approached her family outside the arena and expressed his intention to have sexual relations with one of them. He then followed them inside and began to pursue Khan in particular, trying to grab her face and shirt, demanding a kiss. He later followed her outside, attempting to grab her face again, and became violent when she resisted, resulting in a physical altercation that left Khan with a concussion and injuries to her arm and shoulder.
During the attack, Desmond put Khan in a chokehold, gestured as if he had a gun, and slammed her into the ground. Desmond was apprehended by two bystanders, one of whom was a military veteran who was subsequently charged with misdemeanor assault for his involvement. The veteran has applied for a pretrial diversion program that could potentially eliminate the charge against him. The Associated Press did not publicly identify those who report attempted sexual assaults, but Khan chose to disclose her identity in this case.
The attack on Khan, the first Muslim to serve in the state House of Representatives, sparked outrage and calls for justice. Despite expressing her desire for a longer sentence for Desmond, Khan’s attorney indicated that she will await the sentencing scheduled for June. The incident highlights the importance of addressing hate crimes against marginalized communities and the need for appropriate legal consequences in cases of violence and assault. The plea deal reached in this case requires Desmond to face accountability for his actions through prison time, sex offender registration, counseling, and continued mental health treatment.
