Des Moines woman sentenced again to 25 years in prison for racist attacks on two minors
DES MOINES, Iowa — Nicole Poole Franklin has now been sentenced in federal court to 25 years in prison for two hate crimes.
Back in December of 2019, police say Poole Franklin tried to kill two kids by running them over because of their race and national origin. One victim was 14 and the other 12, and both were walking home from school.
She pleaded guilty to the two charges of hate crime.
She was sentenced in District court for the same crime in May and was also sentenced to 25 years in prison. The two prison sentences will be served concurrently, which means they will be served at the same time.
In the afternoon of December 9, 2019, prosecutors say Poole Franklin drove her Jeep Grand Cherokee over the curb and tried to run over a child and one of their family members she believed was either of Middle Eastern or African descent. She hit the child, who suffered cuts, bruising, and swelling.
Poole Franklin told police she believed the child was "ISIS" and wanted to take her out.
30 minutes later, the suspect drove her vehicle up over the curb near a junior high school in Clive and hit another child, causing serious injury. She believed the child was Hispanic and was “takin over . . . our homes, and our jobs,” and “wasn’t supposed to be in our country."
She was later arrested.
Judge Richard D. Westphal said the following in the sentencing:
Nothing can be more devastating to the American dream of equal rights than the actions of Poole Franklin on a hate filled December 9, 2019, as she callously attempted to run over and kill a 12 year old boy, and a 14 year old girl. Two minors who had done nothing wrong other than innocently walk on a street, and happen to be of a different race and skin color from Poole Franklin. Her actions temporarily shattered, but did not permanently defeat this dream. Because these two courageous victims, and their amazing families, continue to epitomize the hopes of what our society can be. Holding Poole Franklin accountable, not only for her intentional actions, but for the malicious beliefs behind them, is what our justice system should be, and a must to provide just punishment, afford adequate deterrence, and protect the public from further crimes by this defendant.
