October 27, 2015- Commonwealth v Robert E Hughes:  A Hummelstown man pleaded guilty to recklessly endangering another person for pulling out a handgun at a bar after hearing comments he considered offensive to Hispanics.

Robert E. Hughes, 54, was sitting at the bar at the Warwick Hotel with a female companion, who was described as Hispanic.  Another man – who was never identified -- was discussing a wide variety of topics with Hughes, which came around to Mexican immigrants.  The man made a comment that “the best worker I ever had was Mexican” and went on to say that worker only needed to be paid $8.50 an hour when another guy with a high school diploma needed to be paid “$18.50 an hour to smoke cigarettes.”  He described how he had to use hand signals to communicate with the Mexican worker.

Hughes said he considered the comments “borderline racist”.  The man at the bar then made a comment to the effect of “something needs to be done about that.”  Shortly after, Hughes pulled out a 9mm handgun.  A bartender jumped between to the two men, and the gun at that point was aimed at the bartender.  Both Hughes and the man eventually paid their tabs and left.  Nobody was injured.

Judge John F. Cherry sentenced Hughes to a year of probation.  Hughes surrendered his firearm and his concealed carry permit for a year.

Two bartenders were prepared to testify that the unidentified man did not make any threats to Hughes or do anything to physically intimidate him, and that he only pulled out his gun because he was offended by the comments.  Deputy District Attorney David Wilson prosecuted this case on behalf of the Commonwealth.