Arrests Made in (black on white) Assault; not 'racially-motivated' according to report

Copyright © 2003 by The Cornell Daily Sun, Inc. ^ | MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2003 | By TONY APUZZO

[Behind Liberal Lines]

ITHACA--According to a Cornell News Service media advisory released to The Sun yesterday, four female Ithaca residents, ages 20, 19 and two age 14, were arrested last week in the most recent development of the investigation into an assault that occurred Nov. 9 following the Ludacris concert at Barton Hall.

The investigation was conducted by the Cornell University Police Department and the Ithaca Police Department. During the two-week duration of the investigation, the CUPD and IPD interviewed the victim of the assault, witnesses and alleged perpetrators.

One 14 year-old was arrested last Wednesday and another the following day. Each was issued a juvenile appearance ticket and charged with assault in the third degree -- a misdemeanor -- as well as given a persona non grata letter for campus property. These charges may be upgraded, according to Police officials, pending further medical evaluation of the victim.

Also last Thursday, a 19 year-old and a 20 year-old were arrested and charged with harassment in the second degree, a violation. They were issued tickets to appear in the Ithaca City Court on Dec. 3 and received persona non grata letters for campus property.

A persona non grata letter means they "are not allowed on Cornell property any more -- and they can be charged with violating that if they return to campus," said Linda Grace-Kobas, interim vice president for communications and media relations.

The assault occurred outside Barton Hall at approximately 11:45 p.m., after the concert had let out. The confrontation was alleged by the victim to be a continuation of an incident from earlier in the evening. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered a ruptured ear drum and a cut near her mouth that required 13 stitches.

In an earlier report, the victim recalled one of the assailants saying, "Get your white hair out my face."

Although initial reports suggested that the incident may have been racially-motivated, further investigation did not support the contention that a hate crime had been committed. This determination was based on interviews and statements from witnesses and participants of the incident, according to the media advisory.

Despite what the investigation concluded, the victim continues to believe that the assault was racially motivated. "I still believe it was -- because that was the whole basis of what they were saying to me. That upsets me, that the police determined it was inconclusive, since I definitely think it was [racially motivated]," she told The Sun yesterday.

In order for the incident to be classified as a bias crime, it would have to be determined that it was "a crime perpetrated solely on the basis of race or discrimination," said Capt. Curtis S. Ostrander, deputy director of the CUPD.

Grace-Kobas explained that "the law is very specific when it comes to hate crimes. There were a lot of interviews conducted -- and based on statements by the victim, eye witnesses and those accused of the crime, it was determined that the incident did not meet that criteria."

Susan H. Murphy '74, vice president for student and academic services, said, "Any type of violent incident is a rare occurrence at Cornell and contrary to our expectations and policies. When such incidents occur, they harm not only those involved, but the entire community. We are grateful to the Cornell and Ithaca police investigators for their excellent investigative work in this case."

Unless new information is provided to investigators, CUPD have concluded their investigation into this matter, the media advisory stated. Any remaining actions concerning the two juveniles arrested will be taken by the Tompkins County Probation Department, while the Ithaca City Court will handle the other two harassment charges.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Riddle me this, Batman...

When is a "hate crime," NOT a "hate crime"?

When the attackers are black, the victim is white and the crime occurs in Ithaca, the City of Evil!!!!

Right again, OLD CHUM!!!

Seriously...here's the victim's version of events...had the races of the actors been reversed, can there be any doubt that the local law enforcement would be labeling this a hate crime?

The incident, as described by the victim, began when the student had a minor altercation with another girl who was at the concert while the performace was still going on...."She said 'Get your white hair out of my face,'" ....After the student put her hair up to get it out of the way, the alleged assailant proceeded to hit her...she found herself surrounded by a group made up of five black females and one black male...."They said they were gonna f**k up my pretty white face," she said.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

City of Evil/hate crime bump

[Puppage]

Just look at the Carr Brothers' case in Kansas. 2 black cowards kill 5 innocent whites......not ONE peep out of the big 3 media. mAKES ME SICK.

[RushLake]

My almost 21 year old son listens to Crap. I noticed that he had a new CD by the crapper Jay Z who has made racist comments along with the standard verbal assaults on bitc#es & hos. I pointed out to my son that the only part of him that these hate filled crappers like is his hard earned money. This junk "music" fills our lives in TV commercials, mall background music, etc.

I sincerely hope that the victim of this vicious assault in Ithica will be alright and I certainly wish her no ill. Perhaps this will be a learning experience for her and her friends, and she and they will be more careful in how they live their lives in the future.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

"Any type of violent incident is contrary to our . . . policies"

Gee, isn't that bold - Cornell has a policy against violent incidents!

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Hate crimes are unconstitutional thought crimes. But while I opposed hate crime legislation, the hypocrisy and double-standard at play here are sickening.

[NativeNewYorker]

No perps named. No bail posted.

The City of Evil is real tough on HATE crime.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)

Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.

[2banana]

Although initial reports suggested that the incident may have been racially-motivated, further investigation did not support the contention that a hate crime had been committed.

After they found out it was just a cracker making the complaint...

[Soaring Feather]

bump

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Gee, isn't that bold - Cornell has a policy against violent incidents!

Unless it's a group of African-American radicals conducting an armed takeover of the student union.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Well, that's because Cornell's subsequent investigation revealed the takeover wasn't armed, wasn't really a takeover, and for that matter there's serious doubt whether the building in question was the Straight, or for that matter a building on Cornell's campus at all!

[joesnuffy]

The left has been using this invidous type of warfare inside America for years....

The so called civil rights movement was turned by those of the ACLU ilk and all the college kids they've managed to brainwash...into a hate fest

The target..the outgroup...white males..(one of the best part of their little hate fest..has backfired in that Asians have made an end run of the whole bunch....bwahahahaha)

Blacks have been used for decades by these left wingers...and are kept in their place by them
through the constant legitimization of hate and blame whitey....imo

This doctrine is an essential part of America's culturual brainwashing from music and movies to literature...wanna get published or recorded...just write up some entertaining pablum...

Looks like white females who had been their staunch femanazi allies in the past are about to feel the pain as well...well...someone has to lay down a bunt once in a while...

[JoeFromCA]

Hate crimes laws don't apply to crimes against white people. Hate crime legislation is simply a form of affirmative action. I thought everybody knew that.

[Little Ray]

There is no such thing as a hate crime; "hate crime" is simply an attempt to criminalize "incorrect" thought. It doesn't matter what color the victims or perps are, this sort of political correctness should not be allowed

Assault and battery is the appropriate crime with which to charge the perps.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

In principle, I agree. However, it is interesting to watch the liberal double standard at work here.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

In order for the incident to be classified as a bias crime, it would have to be determined that it was "a crime perpetrated solely on the basis of race or discrimination," said Capt. Curtis S. Ostrander, deputy director of the CUPD.

Well now. Certainly not all PDs follow the same law. Without specifying details here (google, idaho "Lonny Rae") Mr. Rae got upset that his reporter-wife was confronted physically by a black referee upset that his picture was taken at a game that fans thought there were too many penalties called. Mr. Rae pursued the referee but was not allowed in the locker rooms to confront the man. Mr. Rae lost his temper even more and used the N-word while daring the referee to come out.

Clearly Mr. Rae did not "perpetrate" the confrontation solely for an opportunity to use the N-word. He was charged with a felony "hate crime," punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Last I heard attorney Edgar J. Steele (acting pro bono) got the felony charges dismissed. But Rae still faces a prison sentence for assault owing, I think, to him pushing the referee away from his wife.

"Hate crime" laws are extremely dangerous -- unless someone can in this case prove that Mr. Rae would have just laughed and pointed at a white man shoving and almost breaking his wife's neck by yanking her camera away from her.

[ClearCase_guy]

We are always told that racism and prejudice is caused by bad parents, passing their bad beliefs on to their innocent and accepting children.

I'm just wondering: the white female who was victimized here -- how does she feel about blacks today? Does she now feel animosity toward blacks? And who has caused her to feel this way? Her parents? I don't think so.

Is racism a problem in the US? I think so. Most often manifested as black hatred of whites.
Do some whites hate blacks? Yes. Why? In some cases personal experience has colored their views.

[FormerLib]

It was only a couple of years ago in Charlottesville VA that a group of black teens would prowl the campus and attack lone whites walking in the area.

This was clearly not a hate crime, officials assured us, but merely an example of "town-versus-gown" friction. That certainly made me feel a lot better...NOT!

The incidents did help convince a buddy of mine in the area to obtain a concealed carry permit.

[FormerLib]

Most often manifested as black hatred of whites.

I don't think we even need to try to compare which is more prevalent so long as we could get both sides to agree that racism flows both ways (the left denies that fervently).