Stephanie Rapkin Wants Hate Crime Charge Dropped

SHOREWOOD, WI — Stephanie Rapkin, the Shorewood attorney who is accused of spitting at a Black teen, is asking prosecutors to no longer consider her case as a hate crime.

According to court records, Rapkin's attorney, Jascon Luczak, filed two motions on Thursday via video conference: one to change the venue of the case, and the other to strike the hate crime charge enhancer associated with her disorderly conduct charge.

According to a JSOnline report, Luczak wants her case to be moved out of Milwaukee County.

The next time Rapkin's case will appear in court is Nov. 19.

Shorewood High School student Eric Lucas said he was "mentally and physically shaken" after authorities say Rapkin spat on him during a George Floyd-related protest march in early June.

Rapkin now stands accused of spitting on Lucas, pushing a protester the following day, and kneeing an officer in the groin during her arrest.

Incidents Captured On Video, In Photographs

Based on video footage captured by multiple eyewitnesses, a peaceful protest march was heading down N. Oakland Ave. in early June in Shorewood when Rapkin pulled her car across traffic lanes in an attempt to block the protest from marching further.

Footage shows Rapkin get out of her car, walk to the sidewalk and begin shouting at protesters, who quickly began to form around her.

As members of the crowd edge closer, video shows Rapkin spit on one of the protesters, later identified as Lucas.

In the video, protesters in the immediate area begin to encircle Rapkin, however several members of the group extend their arms to hold the group at bay, giving Rapkin a few feet of distance between her and the demonstrators she had been confronting on the sidewalk.

Shorewood police eventually caught up with Rapkin at her home at 10 p.m. Saturday. According to multiple reports, police arrested her on suspicion of battery and disorderly conduct related to the incident earlier that day.