LOS ANGELES – A Texas man pleaded no contest Thursday to felony vandalism with a hate crime allegation for defacing a large menorah in Beverly Hills — including carving a Nazi symbol into its base — on the first night of Hanukkah.
Eric Brian King, 47, of Dallas, was immediately sentenced to two years formal probation, ordered to complete a one-year dual diagnosis mental health program, and pay $3,000 in restitution. He was jailed for 108 days awaiting trial. A 16-month state prison sentence was suspended.
Police went to the area of Sunset Boulevard and Foothill Road at about 8 p.m. Dec. 18 on “a report of a suspect defacing a menorah on private property …” Lt. Giovanni Trejo of the Beverly Hills Police Department said in a statement.
King was arrested that night, Trejo said.
“The suspect was located with the assistance of the police department’s Real Time Watch Center … after surveillance video depicted him throwing objects at a menorah,” Trejo said. “The initial investigation revealed that King carved Nazi symbols into the base of the menorah.”
