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.
This was in juvenile court, so things can move pretty fast. There is no right to a jury and there is no media allowed inside the hearings.
The best reason I can think of is that because these are juveniles, it is going to be left up to the State courts and not the Federal Courts. Even if for some reason these trials went to Federal Court, the Feds are not set up in their system to handle juveniles. Bottom line is that the Feds don't want to get involved in juvenile trials.
Juvenile court is, I suspect, the reason.
That's because to that pathetic, dying rag this was a "dog bites man" story - - nothing newsworthy.
This happened in my neighborhood. Weird to see it talked about internationally, but I am very glad justice was served and the news about this SOMEHOW finally got out. I hope some of them do have longer sentences than "time served."
The cases have to go before a judge quickly in juvenile cases apparently.
The Press-Telegram did very well, I think. They managed to keep this on the front pages even though the city council and other public officials publicly stated that they wanted to keep the press away. "This kind of thing could NOT HAPPEN in our fair city" type of thing.
You would be correct (some gang connections). The victims' reps did want to get that entered into the trial but it wasn't. One of the juvenile perps had, on her MySpace page, a photo of her little 5-year-old brother throwing gang signs. Oh, and the signs just HAPPENED to be of the same exact gang that rammed and totalled the car of the good black teen witness on the day she testified.
Cherrale: "The youths have not been able to keep up with their school work..."
The school district would have issued Independent Learning Contracts upon parental/student request.
If the teens were given Independent Learning Contracts to fulfill academic requirements..then it was up to the teens to manage their time to complete their work.
The one not guilty was 12. I doubt she had a scholarship.
I'm betting on probation and some half-assed sensitivity training B.S. They should get 20 years and have their families sued to poverty.
As minors, the worst they can get is confinement in Youth Authority until they are 25.
Check out the biased story from the LA Times on Drudge.
Sorry Doug, I missed that detail.
Wouldn't it be classic if street gangs offered scholarships to their deserving members?
"Something really smells in this case, because, if in fact these black teenager where in fact charged with a s called "hate crime" then they would have been prosecuted in Federal Court, since, hate crime legislation is Federal."<<<<<<<<<
Section 422.75 of the CA PC calls for this enhancement of a felony if the crime is based on racial motive.
It has to be because this was juvenile court.
How are the kids supposed to accept responsibility when their parents are still brainwashing them with racism?
I don't get it. Your kid beats someone up, but the KID is a victim of racism? It doesn't make sense. Make them take responsibility for what they have done.
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