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The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act has been used only sparingly in the ten years following its enactment. According to data culled from Department of Justice press releases and
records of cases that went to trial,the Act has been used in fifty–six prosecutions since 2009. In those cases,thirty–four indictments resulted in guilty pleas,thirteen led to a trial on the merits, and the remaining nine cases currently await trial. What follows is an overview of the types of crimes that are most–commonly charged under the Act, the variations in application of the Act among the federal Circuits, and an examination of some legal issues involved in prosecuting cases under the act......[Citing TRAC data and reports].
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