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A Bloomington woman faces six years in prison after she was sentenced for the January 2023 stabbing of an Indiana University student on the bus in a racially motivated crime, the Indiana Southern District U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt sentenced Billie Davis, 57, to six years in federal prison and three years of supervised release, according to a news release.
The sentence came after Davis pleaded guilty to willfully causing bodily injury to a victim with a knife.
The victim in the attack was of Chinese descent.
Davis’s attorney, Harold Ansell, did not immediate respond to request for comment.
“Racially motivated violence has no place in our society,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in a news release. “This defendant targeted a young woman, who was simply riding a public bus to school, solely because she was Chinese. The sentence imposed for these vicious hate crimes should send a strong message that perpetrators of hate-fueled violence will be held accountable. The Justice Department is steadfast in its commitment to investigating and prosecuting hate crimes wherever they occur in our country.”
Kyle Dugger, a deputy public defender in Monroe County, told Indiana Lawyer via email that Davis is probably one of “the sweetest people I have ever worked with.”
Dugger said he is a person of Japanese heritage and never experienced any racial animus from Davis.
“Her case was one about mental health and the complete lack of infrastructure in Indiana to address mental health needs and I’m glad they reached a resolution that gives accountability without taking away Ms. Davis’ life away forever,” Dugger said.
According to court documents, on Jan. 11, 2023, an 18-year-old woman of Chinese descent, was riding a Bloomington Transit bus.
Davis boarded the bus and sat behind the student. As the student stood to exit the bus, Davis reached for a folding knife from inside her pocket and stabbed the student in the head approximately seven to 10 times.
The victim exited the bus screaming in pain. Davis’ attack against the victim caused multiple stab wounds and cuts, requiring medical attention including sutures and staples.
After the attack, Davis sat back down on the bus, where she remained until other passengers confronted her. When Davis exited the bus, another passenger followed and confronted her about the stabbing.
Davis used racist slurs when referring to the victim and claimed the victim posed a threat to the bus because she was Asian. Davis was arrested by Bloomington Police.
“Every person deserves to feel safe in their own community, and no one should be made to fear violence on their way to school simply because of who they are,” Zachary Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said in a news release, adding that, “Violent hate should have no safe harbor in Indiana or anywhere in our great country.”
This story has been updated.
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