A judge this week ordered Kathryn Knott to stand trial Dec. 9 for her alleged role in last year’s attack on a gay couple.
Knott is charged with two counts each of aggravated and simple assault, as well as conspiracy and reckless endangerment in connection with the Sept. 11, 2014, attack on Zachary Hesse and Andrew Haught in Center City.
Common Pleas Judge Roxanne Covington scheduled Knott on Friday for a motions hearing Nov. 24, following by the December trial.
Earlier this month, Knott’s co-defendants, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams, accepted plea deals offered by the District Attorney’s office that include probation, but no jail time. The prosecutor in the case said Knott was offered a similar deal, but she rejected it, opting instead to take her case to trial.
One charge of aggravated assault without serious bodily injury is a felony that is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and simple assault is a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.
As part of the plea agreements, several of the charges were dropped against Harrigan and Williams. Harrigan pleaded guilty to one count of simple assault and conspiracy and was sentenced to three years’ reporting probation, 200 hours of community service and restitution of $314. Williams pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault and conspiracy and was sentenced to five years’ reporting probation, 200 hours of community service and restitution of $627. Both are also prohibited from entering Center City Philadelphia, defined as Washington to Girard avenues and from the Delaware to Schuylkill rivers throughout the duration of their probation.
They were ordered to serve their community service at an LGBT organization. DA spokesperson Cameron Kline told PGN this week that the venue where the two will carry out their community service has not yet been decided.
The night of the incident, the defendants were walking with a large group of friends when they encountered Hesse and Haught. Harrigan said to Hesse, “Who is that? Your fucking boyfriend?” and went on to call him a “dirty faggot,” according to prosecutor Mike Barry. Barry said Harrigan then pushed Hesse, Hesse pushed back and Harrigan punched him in the face. Barry said Hesse’s arms were pinned to his side and he was struck multiple times. Williams physically assaulted Haught multiple times, and Knott allegedly attempted to swing at the men but missed, also using homophobic language, Barry said. Haught was left with facial fractures and had his jaw wired shut for two months.