Amir's Full Story

When Amir was young, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Amir can walk for short distances, but because it is difficult and tiring, he almost always uses a wheelchair in public. Amir takes public transportation to get to work, and the bus he rides is typically busy during rush hour. One group of riders regularly makes snide comments loud enough for him to hear about Amir “playing the disability card” when they are waiting at the bus stop. Various members of this group have repeatedly knocked his wheelchair to the side as he is boarding the bus, causing it to become unstable. Two weeks ago, as Amir was boarding the bus, Amir’s wheelchair was hit hard enough to tip it over. Amir broke one of his ankles and knocked out a tooth when he hit the ground. Amir told the bus driver and the medical personnel who responded that another rider had intentionally pushed his wheelchair over; the bus driver replied that she was sure it was a mistake. When Amir spoke with law enforcement officers, they told him the rider who hit his wheelchair denied doing it intentionally. When Amir contacted law enforcement in the following weeks, they refused to provide a copy of the police report and then stopped responding to his follow-up phone calls, including Amir’s requests that they review any recorded video of the incident and speak to some of the other regular riders on his route.

Amir seeks the assistance of an attorney, who explains that hate and bias crimes can include crimes motivated by bias or prejudice against a person with a disability. The attorney also explains that victims of crime have rights under the law. The attorney offers to help Amir talk with law enforcement about what was done to him and the status of the investigation.