. . . he's now part of a protected class in three states.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100425/ap_on_re_us/us_homeless_hate_crime
Other cities and states including Cleveland, Seattle and Alaska have designated homeless people as a protected class, alongside other vulnerable populations such as the elderly and disabled. This type of classification can make sentences harsher.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100425/ap_on_re_us/us_homeless_hate_crime
