Update on Mallory Owens - her girlfriend picked her up from the hospital and brought her back to the place where she was attacked where she has given interviews stating the attack was not based on her orientation.
Mallory Owens: My Beating Was Not a Hate Crime
MOBILE, Alabama --
It's hard to believe, but just a few hours after News 5 visited Mallory Owens practically unconscious in the hospital, she woke up and left. She's now back at the place where it all started on Thanksgiving night.
"I'm okay, I'm good," said Owens. "Just a bad bad night."
Mallory's family told News 5 on Monday that she was beaten by her girlfriend's brother for being gay. Mallory doesn't remember much from that night, but says being gay is not the reason she was attacked.
"A lot of things have happened between us, but it doesn't make me hate her brother," said Owens. "I don't hate her family at all, or anybody for that matter."
Her girlfriend Ally Hawkins is by her side. She says her brother's actions are not justified, but he had his own reasons for the attack. They are reasons that will be released when the time is right.
"It's not a hate crime at all," said Ally Hawkins. "We both know the reason why this happened, and it doesn't make any excuses for him, I'm not defending him at all. I know why he was angry, and that will come out."
Mallory's accused attacker is 18-year-old Travis Hawkins Jr., who was arrested on second degree assault charges and later bonded out. His lawyer James Byrd says his client is now in hiding, after death threats left him fearing for his life.
"People get a story and go with it, and before it's over its an entirely different animal," said Byrd.
The story of Mallory's beating took the online community by storm. Soon, it was known around the world. Travis Hawkins' attorney says his client was already tried and convicted by people on the Internet who have no idea what really happened.
"People have taken this and overreacted, and made it something that it's not," said Byrd.
Still, Mallory's mother Kristi Taylor has met with Mobile's District Attorney, urging Ashley Rich to upgrade the charges against Hawkins to attempted murder.
More details should be released when Travis Hawkins goes to court on December 10th for his arraignment.