A U.S. district court judge sentenced Brandon Simonson, 41, of Moorhead, Minn., to life in federal prison on Friday for beating a fellow inmate, who was Jewish, to death on March 2, 2020. Matthew Phillips died from his injuries three days later.
“Antisemitic violence has no place in our society,” stated Andrew Boutros, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “Violence against people of faith is illegal and unacceptable and will not be tolerated anywhere in our district, including in our prison system.”
A jury convicted Simonson, who was incarcerated at Thomson Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., of murder and a hate crime in May.
Simonson and Kristopher Martin beat Phillips because the latter was Jewish, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. “Simonson and Martin assaulted Phillips to gain recognition and membership into a white supremacist, antisemitic prison gang called the Valhalla Bound Skinheads,” the department stated.
“Simonson punched and kicked Phillips in the face and head, despite Phillips being knocked unconscious and unable to defend himself,” it said.
Martin, 43, of Brazil, Ind., pleaded guilty earlier this year and is slated to be sentenced on Oct. 9, according to the Justice Department.
