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Defendant Asks to Separate Murder and Hate Crime Charges

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BALTIMORE (AP) - Lawyers for the white man accused in a fatal stabbing of a black college student in Maryland want a judge to separate his murder and hate crime charges.

The Baltimore Sun reports in a filing in Prince George's County Circuit Court, lawyers for Sean Urbanski questioned the admissibility of evidence tying him to a Facebook page called "Alt-Reich: Nation," as well as "certain cartoon images."

Attorneys William C. Brennen, Jr. and John M. McKenna also cited a Maryland court rule that allows for separate trials if evidence in one charge may prejudice a party in relation to another charge.

Urbanski is charged in the death of Richard Collins III, a Bowie State University student who was about to graduate and visiting the University of Maryland when he was stabbed.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.