"We all have the potential for becoming targets," Hale said. "I hope people will see that."

Bangerter said a hate-crime statute would motivate law officers to make investigations a priority and provide tougher penalties for offenders.

Bangerter said it was difficult to persuade police to investigate his crime. He also contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but the crime was not under that agency's jurisdiction because the federal hate-crime statute doesn't protect sexual orientation.

Finally an arrest was made, and James Patrick Monahan was convicted in June 2000 of aggravated battery and was sentenced to 7 to 15 years. He'll be eligible for parole next June.

Bangerter has testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee and the Idaho Legislature to include sexual orientation as a protected class. Both attempts were unsuccessful.

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com