Alton L. Hayes III, a black man charged with a hate crime, told police that he was so upset about the Trayvon Martin case in Florida that he beat up a white man

Hayes and a friend walked up behind the white male victim and pinned his arms to his side, police said. Hayes, 18, then picked up a large tree branch, pointed it at the man and said, “Empty your pockets, white boy.” The two rifled through the white victim’s pockets, then threw him to the ground and punched him numerous times in the head and back before running away. Hayes and his friend are black; the victim is white. After being arrested, Hayes told police that he was upset by the Trayvon Martin case and beat the man up because he was white, Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said, citing court records. Martin, 17, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who was charged with second-degree murder. Zimmerman is Hispanic, while Martin was black. Hayes was charged with attempted robbery, aggravated battery and a hate crime, all felonies, Oak Park police Detective Cmdr. Ladon Reynolds said. Hayes was ordered held on $80,000 bond and remains in the Cook County Jail. His friend was referred to juvenile court.