MINNEAPOLIS -- Prosecutors say a business owner convicted of beating a Latino man attacked him because he was outraged his victim was speaking Spanish. A jury found Cecil Reiners, 57, guilty of first-degree assault Thursday. County Attorney Amy Klobuchar said he should receive a longer sentence than the 7 years recommended in state guidelines because the attack on Jose Padilla, 20, was a hate crime. Reiners' sentencing was scheduled for May 14. Witnesses testified that Reiners became angry last October when he went into a warehouse where his business is located and saw Padilla speaking Spanish with two of Reiners' employees. Reiners said he told Padilla, "We don't speak Spanish here." Padilla worked for a company that shared space with Reiners' company. Reiners later saw Padilla sitting at a lunch table with Reiners' two employees. Witnesses testified that Reiners picked up a piece of wood with both hands and swung it down on Padilla's head. Padilla was treated for multiple skull fractures.
