In a crowded Whatcom County Superior courtroom, a 42-year-old white man accused of hitting a Black child in an incident being described as a hate crime pleaded not guilty.
The room and hallway were packed with people, including Bellingham City Council member Skip Williams, attending to show support for the 11-year-old victim, whose parents sat in the front row.
Paul Jonathan Bittner’s not-guilty plea was during his arraignment on Friday, June 21, a hearing where defendants are appraised of their rights and the charges they face. Bittner is charged with commission of a hate crime, a class C felony, and second-degree assault, a class B felony.
The 11-year-old victim was walking back from a field trip on June 12 with his classmates, when Bittner crossed the street to join the group, according to court documents. The victim and a friend were talking when Bittner hit the victim in the face and Bittner said, “Are you going to talk to a white man like that?”
The assault happened in front of the Bellingham Police Department and teachers and law enforcement were able to act quickly, according to court documents. When Bittner was questioned by law enforcement, he continued to use derogatory language toward Black people.
The victim suffered a fractured tooth and an injury to his nose, according to court documents.
Before Bittner’s hearing — which was delayed nearly 45 minutes — people packed into the courtroom, causing the bailiff to bring in another bench and additional chairs. More people flooded into the hallway, leaving the courtroom’s double doors open.
The victim’s father, DeVante Blow, said he was amazed by the outpouring of support from the community. After the hearing, he received a stack of cards from community members who had attended a card-writing party the day prior.
“It’s very reassuring,” Blow said, noting the family had moved to Bellingham from Whidbey Island in 2020. “When I look around, it’s not just a roomful of African American people but a conglomerate of people and really, that’s what makes a difference. We feel safe, we feel seen, and hate has no place here.”
He and his son have had conversations about what happened and said they don’t hate Bittner, but rather hate what he did.
“We hope the time that he serves, hopefully, for what he’s done, he will be rehabilitated and that Bellingham will be safer,” Blow said.
Bittner is currently in custody at the Whatcom County Jail on a $500,000 bail, according to the online jail roster. He’s expected back in court for a status hearing on July 17.
After the hearing, community members gathered at Whatcom Middle School to discuss how best to support the family and how to move forward.
People wanting to send encouraging notes to the family can drop off letters at the Whatcom Middle School front office or the Bellingham Public Schools office.
A previous version of this story misspelled DeVante Blow’s first name in a photo caption. This story was updated to reflect this change at 11:39 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26. Cascadia Daily News regrets this error.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
