LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX NEWS) — A Lexington man accused of a reported hate crime appeared in Fayette District Court on Monday for an arraignment, where a judge entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and appointed him a public defender.
Damian Hisle, 52, faces charges of harassment and third-degree terroristic threatening.
Lexington Police identified Hisle as the man seen in cellphone video connected to an Aug. 11 incident involving a University of Kentucky employee. According to court records, a Muslim woman told police Hisle spat in her face and threatened to kill her as she walked to her vehicle near UK Hospital. The woman said a construction worker intervened and stopped the alleged harassment.
During the arraignment, the judge asked Hisle whether he could afford an attorney.
"Uh, no," Hisle replied.
The judge then appointed a public defender to represent Hisle and scheduled a future court appearance.
LEX NEWS has learned that three days after the alleged confrontation near UK Hospital, and before police had positively identified Hisle in the August 11 incident, he was charged with terroristic threatening in a separate encounter at Good Samaritan Hospital.
According to a criminal complaint, a hospital worker told police Hisle became upset after she provided medication to another patient before him. The worker alleged Hisle threatened to cut off her head with a long-handled axe but said he ultimately would not do so because he "had better things to do."
A review of Fayette County court records shows Hisle has had multiple encounters with the criminal justice system dating back to 1999. Previous charges listed in court records include terroristic threatening, menacing, alcohol intoxication and disorderly conduct.
At Monday's hearing, the judge left Hisle's bond at $5,000 and scheduled another hearing for Sept. 2.
Hisle remains lodged in the Fayette County Detention Center.
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Original Story:
Lexington Police arrested Damian Hisle on Saturday — a day after the department announced it was searching for the 52-year-old — in connection with an alleged hate crime against a University of Kentucky employee.
Hisle was wanted on charges of harassment and third-degree terroristic threatening.
The victim in the attack told LEX News on Tuesday that a man, now identified as Hisle, approached her as she left work. He then spat on her, threatened to kill her, and followed her until a nearby construction worker stepped in.
According to an arrest citation, Hisle also faces an additional charge of third-degree terroristic threatening from a separate incident on Aug. 14 at Good Samaritan Hospital. On that day, Hisle allegedly threatened a member of hospital staff, telling her he would "cut her head off" and that she "should find a new place to work at."
He later told Lexington Police he was frustrated and was "not really going to harm the victim because he had more important things to do."
Anyone with information related to the case can contact Lexington Police at 859-253-2020 or via Blue Grass Crime Stoppers.
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