Billie Davis, a 57-year-old resident of Bloomington, has been sentenced to six years in federal prison. This follows her guilty plea for committing a hate crime by attacking an Indiana University student of Asian descent with a knife. The incident occurred on January 11, 2023, when the victim was traveling on a Bloomington Transit bus.
Court documents reveal that Davis stabbed the 18-year-old student multiple times in the head as she was about to exit the bus. After the attack, which left the victim with serious injuries requiring medical treatment, Davis remained seated until confronted by other passengers. She later used racial slurs against the victim and claimed her actions were due to the victim's Asian descent.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division commented on the case: “Racially motivated violence has no place in our society.” Clarke emphasized that such acts would be prosecuted vigorously.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers highlighted the need for community safety and denounced violent hate crimes: “Every person deserves to feel safe in their own community.” He noted an increase in bias crimes against people of Asian descent and reiterated commitment to addressing these issues through legal action and community initiatives.
FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent Robert “Alex” Middleton stated that protecting civil rights remains a priority for law enforcement agencies involved in this case. The investigation was conducted by FBI Indianapolis Field Office, Bloomington Resident Agency, and Bloomington Police Department.
The sentence was delivered by Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Prosecutors included Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Blackett and Trial Attorneys Anita Channapati and Barry Disney from various divisions within the Justice Department.
For concerns regarding civil rights violations in Southern Indiana, reports can be submitted via email or an online form provided by U.S. Attorney Myers' office.