SANTA ANA, Calif. – Police say a transient and parolee has been arrested on suspicion of a hate crime for hanging a noose in the doorway of a Southern California gay rights organization in October.
Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said June 18 that 45-year-old Marten Joseph Brandel was arrested when he showed up for a scheduled parole appointment Friday in Irvine.
Bertagna told the Orange County Register detectives linked Brandel to the noose by DNA, but it took months to find him.
The black noose was found hanging in the doorway at the Santa Ana office of Equality California in October.
Brandel is being held without bail because he is on parole for assaulting a police officer and drug violations.
Police reached by phone did not know if Brandel has hired an attorney.
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