Marines Charged With Assaulting Gay Man

Two marines were arrested early Saturday in Savannah, Ga., and charged with misdemeanor battery after they beat a gay man they claimed was "harassing" them with a wink.

According to the Savannah Morning News, police chased down Joseph Cronauer (pictured) and Christopher Charles Stanzel around 4 a.m. in downtown Savannah as friends performed first aid on Kieran Daly, who lay unconscious on the ground.

"Cronauer and Stanzel told police they were being harassed by a gay man and wanted to get away from him. But witnesses painted a different picture, according to the report.

They told police one of the men grew angry because he thought Daly was winking at him and struck Daly in the back of the head with his fist, knocking him unconscious."

Daly was admitted to Memorial University Medical Center, where doctors diagnosed him with bruises to his brain. He suffered seizures and was expected to remain hospitalized for several days. He denied winking at his attackers, the Morning News reported.

Cronauer and Stanzel were jailed briefly and then released to military police.

Georgia does not have a hate-crimes law on the state level.