Redmond O'Neal Accused Of Hate Crime in Which He Attacked Gay Man For Looking At Him

Brandon Voss

A Los Angeles man has accused Redmond O’Neal, troubled son of actors Ryan O’Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett, of perpetrating a hate crime, USA Today reports.

Ken Fox filed a lawsuit this week against O’Neal, 33, detailing an alleged confrontation that the victim believes was motivated by his sexual orientation.

Fox, who is gay, says O’Neal called him “faggot” before attacking him in May as he walked along an L.A. street.

Fox is one of five men accusing O’Neal of unprovoked attacks during a violent crime spree. Two of the men were seriously injured.

Redmond O'Neal/Courtesy LAPD

Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred held a press conference to announce her client’s lawsuit alleging assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, violation of civil rights, negligence, loss of consortium, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Fox seeks punitive and compensatory damages in excess of $25,000.

Fox said he was wheeling a laundry basket to a nearby laundromat when he saw a young man walk toward him wearing a hoodie and carrying a bottle in a paper bag.

Fox claims the man, later identified by police as O’Neal, asked, “What are you looking at?” before calling him the anti-gay slur. “I was not dressed provocatively,” Fox said. “All I did was look up when I saw him approach me.” 

Sarah Morris/Getty Images

Fox said O’Neal then hit him in the nose with a beer bottle and stood over him as he lay bleeding on the ground, continuing to throw punches, taunt the victim with more slurs, and threaten additional hits with the bottle. 

“I felt trapped, like a wounded animal,” Fox said while choking back tears. “I literally thought I was going to die… All I could do was scream until he just walked away.”

Fox, who had to have his broken nose re-broken and reset, said he is currently seeing multiple physicians and a psychologist for various post-traumatic issues.  

“I have spent the last four months recovering from what Redmond O’Neal did to me,” continued Fox, who made it clear he’s pressing charges to hold O’Neal accountable for homophobic violence that violates California civil rights laws. 

“I am speaking out today because I need to do what I can to make sure that this man never injures or hurts another defenseless ‘faggot’ ever again. That’s what Mr. O’Neal called me right before he sucker punched me. The word faggot is hate speech and just one of many offensive terms used to make gay men feel ashamed of themselves.”

“In my opinion he is competent enough to know exactly what he was doing,” Fox continued. “He wanted to hurt an old, weak, defenseless gay man. He wanted to hurt me. And he did hurt me.”

Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Farrah Fawcett Foundation

“We contend in our lawsuit that a substantial motivating reason for Redmond O’Neal’s conduct towards Ken was Mr. O’Neal’s perception of Ken’s sexual orientation,” Allred added. “There must be serious consequences for anyone who engages in violence against innocent victims and particularly where the victim is victimized on account of his status as a member of a minority which has a long history of persecution and violence against them on account of their sexual orientation.”

O’Neal fled the scene but was later arrested after allegedly committing other unprovoked acts of violence, including stabbing a Venice man in the head and slitting his throat. He was eventually charged with attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats, brandishing a knife, and battery connected to the reported crime spree.  

The alleged assailant has been in police custody since May 8, when he was arrested on suspicion of robbing a convenience store at knife point.

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O’Neal, who has a history of substance abuse, was previously arrested in 2011 for possession of heroin and an unauthorized firearm, which followed a 2008 DUI and drugs charge. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 2015 for violating parole.

O’Neal has previously blamed all his problems on his famous parents, specifically his strained relationship with his father following Fawcett’s 2009 death from cancer.

His half-sister, Oscar winner Tatum O’Neal, has also publicly struggled with substance abuse.

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The Los Angeles Police Department alleges that Redmond O’Neal committed the crimes in early May. Evidence was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office on Friday, KABC reported. The office returned charges of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of criminal threats, one count of brandishing a knife and one count of battery, the television station reported.

Detectives investigated several crimes that occurred in the Venice Beach and Palms neighborhoods of Los Angeles between May 2 and May 5. They determined that all of the crimes were committed by the same person and allege that it was Redmond O’Neal.
Redmond O’Neal was arrested May 8 after the robbery of a convenience store, ending the crime spree, KABC reported. 

Authorities said they have not determined a motive.

"They all seem to be random. It appears, though, based on what we know now, that it just started as an argument between unknown persons and quickly escalated with the violent acts," LAPD Sgt. Scotty Steven said.

Redmond O’Neal has been arrested several times for drug possession, KABC reported.. He pleaded no contest to heroin possession stemming from a 2011 arrest and was sentenced to five years of probation.

Redmond O'Neal remains in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. KABC reported.