A woman who was caught on video shouting insults at Muslim men praying in Lake Chabot Regional Park last month pleaded not guilty Thursday to two misdemeanor counts of battery and a hate crime.
Denise Slader, 50, is scheduled to return to Alameda County Superior Court in Hayward on Feb. 26 for a pretrial hearing on charges that stem from the Dec. 6 incident.
Judge Andrew Steckler also set an April 4 trial date for Slader, who worked for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation but has been placed on leave pending the results of an internal investigation.
Prosecutor Tim Wellman asked Steckler to set $10,000 bail for Slader because that's the bail schedule for the two offenses she faces, but Steckler declined to set bail and allowed her to remain free on her own recognizance.
Slader approached group of Muslim men at the park and yelled anti-Muslim slurs at them. One of the victims, Rasheed Albeshari recorded cellphone video of the encouter, which shows her lunging toward Albeshari and throwing what appears to be a cup of coffee. Prosecutors said she also threw an umbrella. A police report said she yelled, "God is Satan," "You are going to hell," and the "Quran is evil," among other "racist remarks."
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In a previous interview, Slader told NBC Bay Area that she stands by her feelings: She believes Islam and Allah are evil, and that she is a big supporter of Donald Trump.
