Cause and Effect.
Posted on 01/26/2007 4:32:40 PM PST by doug from upland
9 convicted in Long Beach hate crime beatings New, 3 p.m. Witnesses to Halloween mob melee said several of those in crowd that attacked three white women yelled racial slurs. A 12-year-old girl is cleared. By Tracy Manzer Staff Writer
A juvenile court judge today convicted nine of 10 local black youths accused in the hate crime beating of three young white women during a mob melee on Halloween.
Long Beach Superior Court Judge Gibson Lee also handed down "true findings," the equivalent of guilty verdicts in juvenile proceedings, on hate crime charges against eight of the youths. The one minor who was cleared of the charges was a 12-year-old girl.
Lee announced the verdicts this afternoon, finding the petition, or charge, against nine of the 10 accused minors was true.
Some of the defendants hugged before the verdicts were read and some cried after hearing the decisions.
All 10 minors, nine girls and one boy ages 12 to 18, were charged with felony assault for the beating, which took place around 9 p.m. in the 3800 block of Linden Avenue, an affluent section of Bixby Knolls popular with trick-or-treaters for its lavish displays.
A hate crime enhancement was added to eight minors' charges, stemming from victim and witness statements that several youths within a crowd of 20 to 40 people yelled racial slurs as the victims were pelted with newspapers, fruit and pumpkins, then beat to the ground with fists, feet, a skateboard and tree branches.
A second enhancement -- that the accused personally inflicted great bodily injury on the victims -- was filed against nine of the defendants, said Jane Robeson, a spokeswoman for the county District Attorney's Office. Five of those nine -- youths age 13 to 18 -- were found guilty of that charge.
Those enhancements can significantly increase the sentences, Robeson said. Sentencing guidelines for crimes in Juvenile Court are the same as in adult court, but the authority of the California Youth Authority ends once the minors turn 25.
Sentencing is expected to occur within the next few weeks, following the recommendations of the county Probation Department. Victims and families of the accused will also be given an opportunity to address the court before Lee issues the sentences.
Long Beach gathering backs suspects in hate-crime case
Ten minors are accused in Halloween beatings of women. Their parents say police made mistakes in getting identifications.
By Tracy Manzer
Staff writer
A call for support, both spiritual and financial, was made at a community forum held Saturday in Long Beach on behalf of 10 local black youths who stand accused of felony assault and hate crimes in connection with the Halloween beatings in the Bixby Knolls section of Long Beach.
Pastor Leon Wood started the 90-minute forum, held at the California Recreation Center on Martin Luther King Avenue, with a prayer and called on those who attended to have compassion for the minors and their families.
The minors have been charged in connection with an attack that left three white women seriously injured after they left a haunted house in the 3800 block of Linden Avenue. Closing arguments in the case are scheduled to conclude this week and a ruling could come as early as Thursday. The pastor was joined by Elder Emmett Murrell, who compared the minors' case to other civil rights injustices including the death of Ron Settles, a California State University, Long Beach football star found dead in a jail cell in Signal Hill in 1981.
Both Murrell and Wood expressed concern for the victims in the attack, but said the community must help the accused youths and their families rebuild their shattered lives as well. "It is our responsibility as a community," Wood said.
More than 100 people crowded into a large meeting room at the recreation center, filling every seat and propping themselves up against the walls. A number of people were turned back because of the limited space.
Throughout the meeting, those in the audience clapped or murmured sympathetically as the case was recalled.
The strongest reactions were elicited by the parents of the minors, who described their personal struggles with the case and the juvenile justice system.
"They've been presumed guilty already," said Alleyne, whose 16-year-old daughter is among the accused.
All the parents asked they be identified by only their first names.
Several parents said their children were held for more than a day by law enforcement before they were allowed to contact their parents.
One mother, Cristel, said police held her 17-year-old daughter for five days before she was able to make a phone call, causing many in the audience to gasp.
She described the humiliation of the booking process, where her daughters and the other children were questioned, fingerprinted, stripped of their clothes and put in juvenile hall uniforms.
The youths have not been able to keep up with their school work because they have been in court almost every day, another mother, Cherrale, said.
Two of her children, 18-year-old twin seniors at Long Beach Poly High School, fear they will now miss their prom and graduation, "all the things they've worked so hard for," Cherrale, said.
The children aren't the only ones adversely affected, parents said.
Some parents have lost jobs due to missing work because of the lengthy case; Friday marked the 82nd day in court for all involved.
After one parent described not having enough money for gas to visit her children who are at separate juvenile detention facilities, both Wood and Murrell urged the crowd to ask their churches for donations and to consider personal contributions as well.
And the minors and their families have been frustrated by the lack of support from their city leaders, they said, as well as the community.
"We've been calling and trying to get someone, anyone, to talk to us, not for anyone to take sides," Alleyne said.
They criticized the Long Beach Police Department, saying officers botched a field show-up where all 10 minors were identified by a witness and a victim.
The police influenced the outcome of the field show-up when they told the witnesses and victims they had caught the minors responsible, the parents said.
And the prosecutor did not care about the facts of the case and the lack of evidence, they insisted.
No need for these low-lifes to be in school every day. They surely have been practicing criminal behavior before this, probably at the school as well. Send them on to Juvie, or jail or wherever they are headed. They RICHLY deserve it. This gang was boys and girls, ages 12 and up; witness's car was destroyed after she dared to testify against them. Gang thugs I think.
Victims of Halloween attack tell of physical, psychological scars, decry defense tactics
By Tracy Manzer, Staff writer
Article Launched: 01/22/2007 11:01:57 PM PST
LONG BEACH - Two victims in a mob beating on Halloween broke their silence Monday, addressing the media for the first time since the lengthy trial in their case began.
The girls, Michelle and Laura, said they felt compelled to speak out against what they called the manipulation of the facts by defense attorneys for 10 of 12 accused minors. The Press-Telegram has opted not to identify the minors, witnesses or victims by their full names out of concern for their safety.
The 19-year-olds spoke to the Press-Telegram a few days after the beating, along with the third victim, 21-year-old Loren. They remained silent once the trial began Nov. 28.
But Monday marked the end of defense and prosecution arguments. The case was handed over to Long Beach Superior Court Judge Gibson Lee on Monday afternoon. Lee ordered everyone to return to court on Friday, saying he would need a few days to review the case before ruling.
Seeing the incident hashed out daily in court has brought fresh pain to their wounds, the victims said Monday night.
"It's like it didn't stop that night," Laura said of the attack. "It's still going on."
The girls, who did not testify in the case, said they were heartbroken to hear their friend Loren - who attended but did not participate in the press conference - and other witnesses denounced as liars by the defense.
A number of defense attorneys focused on an emergency room doctor's testimony that Loren told him she drank the night of the attack, something she steadfastly denied on the stand.
Michelle, Laura and their mothers said the doctor made a mistake.
All of the girls were asked a series of questions as part of their basic medical history, including whether they ever drank, smoked or did drugs, they said.
Loren said she drank in response to the general medical query, but did not mean she was drinking that night, they explained.
As far as defense claims that the melee was started when Loren slapped one of the accused, the victims said they and their friend struck defensive blows after they were attacked.
"The group was so large, there was no way we were going to start something," Laura said when reporters pressed her on how the attack began.
As the two friends sat side by side with their arms linked, they recalled the incident. There were moments, they said, when they feared they might not live.
"When I looked over and I saw her on the ground getting her head kicked in by a guy that was 6 feet tall, I thought that was it," Michelle said as she broke down in tears.
That boy, Michelle said, has yet to be caught and the knowledge that he and others who participated in the attack are still free frightens them.
But the defense argument that the real culprits remain missing, and that therefore their clients are innocent, is absurd, the victims said.
"I was there and I remember their faces," Laura insisted.
"I don't understand how (the defense) can argue they were the ones closest to us, but say they weren't involved," Michelle said. "It's frustrating."
What is most frustrating, the victims said, is the lack of responsibility on the part of the 10 accused minors.
All 10 youths have been charged with felony assault for the beating, which occurred at about 9 p.m. in the 3800 block of Linden Avenue near a haunted house that drew crowds to the area that night.
A hate-crime enhancement was added to eight of the 10 youths' charges, stemming from victim and witness accounts that the mob of black kids yelled racial slurs as they pelted the white victims with newspapers, fruit and pumpkins; then beat them to the ground.
Watching the minors giggle and laugh in court was infuriating, they said.
"It would make me feel better ... if they were made to think about this, about what they did." Michelle said. "They're not taking this seriously, they're laughing and thinking this is a joke."
Since the attack, the women said they've had to deal with physical and psychological scars.
Laura was knocked unconscious by a blow to the head with a skateboard, then kicked, punched and beaten with tree branches as she lay unconscious on the ground.
She received a concussion and multiple bruises and contusions, as well as a skull fracture. She suffers from slurred speech, dizzy spells, memory loss and blurry vision, she said.
Michelle suffered numerous bumps and bruises to her head and to the lining around her lungs.
Most seriously hurt was their friend Loren, who suffered a dozen fractures to her face, including her nose and her jaw. She is scheduled for surgery next month to repair the damage to her left eye socket, which has caused her eye to recess.
The college photography student was forced to drop her fall semester classes and doesn't know if her vision will be permanently damaged.
She also will have to have several of her teeth, which are dying, extracted and replaced, the girls said.
"On all three of us, our bodies weren't that bad but our heads were covered with bumps," Laura said. "They were going straight for our faces and our heads."
While recuperating from those injuries has been though, it's the emotional trauma that continues to take its toll, they said.
The girls said they never leave their homes alone, not even to run small errands, and are in therapy now.
After learning friends of the minors attend the same community college, Michelle and Laura said they are terrified to go to school.
"My whole life has changed and I don't know when it will go back to normal," Laura said. "Or if it will ever be normal again."
The victims, two 19-year-olds and a 21-year-old, all suffered broken bones.
And then THIS from the 'victims' parents:
"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.
But I note that the perps WERE prosecuted for hate crimes, and at least am happy to see that law applied in a fair-handed manner. I recall how proud our city was during the infamous Watts riots that there was virtually no spill-over from them to LB. I think a good part of the city is still proud and decent.
How are the kids supposed to accept responsibility when their parents are still brainwashing them with racism?
I am glad someone finally prosecuted one of these things with a white victim but I must say that I am not a fan of "hate crime legislation" because it turns a criminal offense into a political circus.
Assault is assault no matter what the reason.....
Had a black good Samaritan not used his body to shield one of the victims, she likely would have been murdered. God bless the brave rescuer.
I will await sentencing before I can be happy about this...
Since the attack, the women said they've had to deal with physical and psychological scars.
Laura was knocked unconscious by a blow to the head with a skateboard, then kicked, punched and beaten with tree branches as she lay unconscious on the ground.
She received a concussion and multiple bruises and contusions, as well as a skull fracture. She suffers from slurred speech, dizzy spells, memory loss and blurry vision, she said.
Michelle suffered numerous bumps and bruises to her head and to the lining around her lungs.
Most seriously hurt was their friend Loren, who suffered a dozen fractures to her face, including her nose and her jaw. She is scheduled for surgery next month to repair the damage to her left eye socket, which has caused her eye to recess.
The college photography student was forced to drop her fall semester classes and doesn't know if her vision will be permanently damaged.
She also will have to have several of her teeth, which are dying, extracted and replaced, the girls said.
"On all three of us, our bodies weren't that bad but our heads were covered with bumps," Laura said. "They were going straight for our faces and our heads."
The youths have not been able to keep up with their school work because they have been in court almost every day, another mother, Cherrale, said.
Two of her children, 18-year-old twin seniors at Long Beach Poly High School, fear they will now miss their prom and graduation, "all the things they've worked so hard for," Cherrale, said.
I agree. If they get probation, it is an outrage. They need to be confined in Youth Authority until they are 25.
Sick Sad World!
I much appreciate the additional information. This was no mere scuffle. It sounds to me like the perps were on the prowl for victims, and I would lay odds there is gang involvement.
Cause and Effect.
"will usc revoke the scholarship now?"
Long Beach State...good question, though.
I live in Long Beach. The riots that occurred after King's beating spilled into the City big time. In fact, they burned down the DMV, the City imposed a 7 PM curfew for 2 days, and my neighbors were sitting on top of grocery stores and restaurants with guns since the police were spread too thin.
Our local grocery placed a banner on the front window when it was finally under control. It read, "thanks neighbors". It was one of the stores not looted or burned.
I would have lost this bet.
have they justified their decision
Yes, I remember seeing the burned-out DMV, where I got my first driver's license. However, I was talking about the Watts riots, Summer '65. My how things have changed.
I agree. these savages belong in a jungle, not on the streets of this country.
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