9 convicted in Long Beach hate crime beatings (Halloween incident; not PC)

daily breeze ^ | 1-26-07 | Manzer

[doug from upland]

Local media did not want to cover this black on white violence. No, Jesse Jackson has not come to Long Beach because the victims were white. The LOS ANGELES TIMES did not even report it for a month.

[randog]

No, Jesse Jackson has not come to Long Beach because the victims were white.

OK, but now that convictions have been handed down, the "victims" are black...?

[Two Kids' Dad]

And local radio has stated that a witness's name and home address were read aloud in court and was visited and threatened shortly thereafter. Perhaps the judge and/or defense lawyer should also be charged with hate crimes for doing/allowing what they knew could result in violence against the witness.

[machogirl]

will usc revoke the scholarship now?

[Crawdad]

I think the Duke lacrosse cases may have had something to do with the media coverage of this. It's almost like the media may not be afraid to cover this type of story anymore.

[taxesareforever]

No, Jesse Jackson has not come to Long Beach because the victims were white.

How about Al Sharpton? I know the answer. I just had to add a bit of sarcasm.

[bboop]

This is an awesome verdict. Ken and John followed this trial; the LA Times disgustingly ignored it. Nice to see Justice Served in Los Angeles. One can wonder who's on first in our fair city.

[rusureitflies?]

The problem is, is that this type of justice is unusual. Too many crimes, too little justice...for some folk.

[TNCMAXQ]

This was just last October and verdicts are in already? That seems very fast. I suppose "the community" will scream about the culprits being railroaded. In any case, the whole assault was nothing short of sickening.

[hole_n_one]

OK, but now that convictions have been handed down, the "victims" are black...?

If keen were a flower, you'd be in full bloom!.

[NoGrayZone]

Arent they always?

[BossLady]

Have you been keeping up on this story???

Too bad Alton Maddox Jr. did not bother to read about this incident!!!!

[Howlin]

No, I haven't; and if he read it, I doubt he'd "understand" it, if you get my drift!

Were these people girls or boys and girls?

[Michael.SF.]

What does USC have to do with this?

[SoCal Pubbie]

I believe one of the accused had a track scholarship offered by USC.

[Michael.SF.]

Thanks. I had not seen that before. By all means the scholarship should be revoked.

Just for the record, this would not longer make him "one of the accused" but rather he would now officially be "one of the criminals"

But of course the media will not paint it that way, will they?

[doug from upland]

http://www.fresnobee.com/384/v-printerfriendly/story/25404.html

WHEN YOU ARE BLACK AND GUILTY, BRING UP RACISM AND MARTIN LUTHER KING.

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Parents of accused Long Beach teens speak out01/21/07 07:02:06

The parents of the 10 black youths on trial for allegedly battering three white women on Halloween spoke out for the first time at a community forum and said prosecutors had failed to prove their case.
About 100 people gathered Saturday at the California Recreation Community Center in Long Beach, just days before the defense was to finish its closing arguments.

Some of the parents said their children were good students or athletes with promising futures and had no criminal records. They assailed what they called a rush to judgment.

"They've been presumed guilty," said Allene Seymore, the mother of a 16-year-old female defendant. "This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said.

The defendants ranged in age from 12 to 17 at the time of the Oct. 31 attack in the posh Bixby Knolls neighborhood. All have pleaded not guilty.

"My kids are innocent," said Cherralle Hargison, the mother of four of the youths on trial. "They're devastated. They can't even go to school, because they're in court every day."

The nine girls and one boy on trial are charged with assault with intent to cause great bodily harm; eight of them face a hate crime enhancement because racial slurs were allegedly said during the attack.

The victims, two 19-year-olds and a 21-year-old, all suffered broken bones.

If convicted, the defendants could be sent to the California Youth Authority until they reach the age of 25.

As in all juvenile trials, a judge will decide guilt or innocence rather than a jury.

[doug from upland]

VIDEO FROM LOCAL TV --- http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_026083656.html

[ARepublicanForAllReasons]

The LOS ANGELES TIMES did not even report it for a month.

How good a job did the Press-Telegram do? LB is my home town. I know the neighborhood well, at least the way it was some 30 years ago. Clearly, things have changed.