Rhode Island District Court Judge Stephen M. Isherwood ruled on Wednesday, Feb. 3 that Barrington resident Richard Gordon was guilty of simple assault and disorderly conduct, stemming from an Aug. 3, 2020 incident with his neighbor.

The Attorney General’s office has also filed a sentencing enhancement in this case, pursuant to the state’s Hate Crimes Sentencing Act.

A hearing is set for Tuesday, Feb. 9 in Sixth Division District Court to decide if this criminal offense was motivated by “the actor's hatred or animus toward the actual or perceived disability, religion, color, race, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, or gender of that person.”

If the state rules that it was a hate crime at the sentencing enhancement hearing, the penalties associated can be increased.

According to a press release from RI Attorney General Peter F. Neronha’s office, the state proved at trial that 71-year-old Dr. Gordon assaulted his neighbor, Bahram Pahlavi, during an argument on Aug. 3. Mr. Pahlavi was replacing a surveyor’s stake in Dr. Gordon’s front yard, when “Gordon yelled racial slurs at his neighbor. He then escalated the encounter into a physical assault with his neighbor,” stated the release.

A video taken during the incident was posted to social media sites, and shows Dr. Gordon yelling racial slurs at Mr. Pahlavi. 

Barrington Police Lieutenant Josh Birrell led the investigation into the case. RI Assistant Attorney General John Moreira and Special Assistant Attorney General Keith Hoffmann prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General.