Debate Over Hate Crime in Howard Beach Clash

The Queens DA's office is allegedly split over how to handle a Halloween night fight in Howard Beach.

A fight erupted on the Cross Bay Boulevard between a group of white youths and a group of black and Hispanic youths. The white youths, after feeling intimidated by a black or Hispanic youth, threw eggs at him, and then a melee broke out when 30-40 others, some with sticks, fought the white youths.

Five black and Hispanic men were arrested and Queens DA Richard Brown called it "serious assault" because "the defendants are accused of being part of a mob armed with sticks that chased and then attacked a group of young people."

The divided feelings in the DA's office are due to the fact that the assault may have been racially motivated. One of the white victims claimed someone told him, "I'm going to kill you, you white m-----f----rs," which might suggest the attack could be a hate crime. On the other hand, hate crime charges against two white men who attacked a black youth in Staten Island last month were dropped due to a lack of evidence.

One of the defendants claims that he and his cousin were actually being chased by 100 white youths who called him "n-----." Terrance Scott, who does not have a police record, told the Daily News, "I just crossed the street and they started chasing me. Gunshots rang out. Then we got stopped by police."

The investigation into the crime is ongoing.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 3, 2007 10:39 AM

Comments [rss]

queensfinest817

Im from Howard Beach and i got jumped too.. today the charges were droppped for it being a hate crime..its bullshit the cops have 4 videos of the black kids jumpin us.they called us whiteboys and crackers, Ray kelly should stop buryin this kinda stuff i cant believe they dropped this case my friend was put in the hospital when we got jumped.. they kids coe into hb just for trouble they dont live here im not reffering to the kids by the color of thier skin it doesnt matter becasue there are black and spanish kids that live in hb and they have no problems with anybody. Theys adelecents came on halloween looking to start problems and now the case was dropped and justice was not served. They have 4 videos of these kids jumpin us if they want to find these kids they would, the thing is they jus don't care .... Without Justice there wil never be peace

Amanda Harletsch

"hate crimes are against people with pale skin.." really?mmmmmmm, are you talking about the historical fact of "pale skin" people not being in the "poor espectrum" or "fringes of culture" and"criminal spectrum" of society?

Class and race are def. something that has not been resolved...

books

here in nyc, I'd say the majority of hate crimes are against people with pale skin...in the pecking order they are seen as targets or victims...thats how it always seemed to me at least.

Amanda Harletsch

Violence should be punished, either for racial, economic, sexual, whatever reasons: is violence.

johncharles2020

who cares bout al sharpton thnk 4 ur self-

sure can be hate crime gainst whites--

of course in this politically correct world

we live in cant really be--

but if i was a black guy in this world i d

b angry with white folks in this country

i would feel justified in dis liking just because they r white --

not right but think i would

just like white folks many feel anger towards black yes still-

yet we cross the line when we take action especially violent action and language--but it is a twop way street

Snoopy

He called him a "whitey", he used the "w" word. Surely that is evidence of a hate crime. Reverend Al sure to be having a march or a sermon to complain how they besmirched the child by calling him a "w", I can't use the full word because it is below my sense of entitlement.