Sentencing for guy who beat two Asian teens, one with a "club"

[minbo]

I don't know how many remember the crime, but the teen involved got sentenced.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime_file/story/503667p-424801c.html

Bias beating lands him in jail
BY SCOTT SHIFREL
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Friday, March 9th, 2007

A son of a retired New York City police officer was sentenced yesterday to 3 1/2 years in prison for a bias-related attack on two Asian teens.

"It is sad to see that in the year 2007 such racism and bigotry still exists," victim Reynold Liang, 19, wrote in a statement read by prosecutor Michelle Goldstein at the sentencing.

Kevin Brown, 19, of Flushing, pleaded guilty to using racial epithets on Aug. 12 when he beat John Lu, 19, and Liang with a metal club on Northern Blvd. at the Cross Island Parkway.

Brown also admitted that on May 7, he pounded 64-year-old Georgios Karatzas and beat up his son Panagiotis Karatzas, 30, after a traffic dispute.

"It is sad that Mr. Brown must go to jail, but a strong signal must be sent that discrimination will not be tolerated in our home," Lu said in a written statement also read by Goldstein.

Brown, who was facing as long as 15 years in prison, said nothing before acting state Supreme Court Justice Suzanne Melendez sentenced him. His father also declined to comment afterward.

Brown's lawyer tried unsuccessfully to get him out of the plea deal by proposing he spend his time in a halfway house instead of an upstate prison.

"He's a good kid," said Charlie Russo, an official at Hope House in Suffolk County, where Brown has been staying since December. "He's very compassionate."

That was not the same opinion offered by Liang and a handful of community leaders who came to watch the sentencing and held a brief press conference afterward.

"It would have been nice if Brown was man enough to say 'sorry' at the end," said City Councilman John Liu (D-Flushing). "A hate crime against one is a hate crime against all."

"Queens County is the most culturally diverse county in the nation," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a statement released later. "Crimes of hate will never be tolerated here."

A second defendant, Paul Heavey, 21, is facing lesser charges in the case but also is expected to take a plea deal when his case is called today.

[minbo]

And for those who don't remember the event... (Thanks to Gothamist)

District Attorney Brown said that, according to the criminal charges, four Asian males – Reynold Liang, 19, John Lu, 19, David Wu, 19, and Wing Chung Poon – were in a white Lexus at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2006, when the defendants [19 year old Kevin] Brown and [20 year old Paul] Heavey pulled up alongside of them in a 1998 Toyota and began cursing and shouting racial slurs. At one point, the defendants allegedly drove behind Liang’s Lexus and intentionally rammed it. Fearful, Liang drove away in an attempt to escape from the two defendants. Believing he had eluded the defendants, he pulled over at the intersection of 44th Avenue and Douglaston Parkway, where victim Lu got out of the car to inspect the damage to the rear of the Lexus. As he did so, the defendants reappeared. Exiting their vehicle and approaching Lu, the defendants allegedly punched him about the head and body, causing him to suffer lacerations requiring multiple stitches and substantial pain, including several loose teeth. During the attack the defendants are alleged to have uttered more racial slurs. In coming to his friend’s aid, victim Liang was also allegedly punched and kicked about the head and body by the defendants. Crawling back to his car, Liang picked up “The Club” which was then allegedly grabbed from him by the defendants who used it to hit him numerous times about the head and body, causing him to sustain a possible fractured skull and substantial pain to his chest.

The District Attorney said that police officers assigned to the NYPD’s 111th Precinct pulled the defendant Brown’s Toyota over approximately twenty minutes after the incident in Bayside, at the intersection of Cloverdale Boulevard and 46th Avenue. As Police Officer Graziano Cillo attempted to arrest Brown, the defendant allegedly put the Toyota into drive, causing it to crash into Officer Cillo’s police vehicle and the door of the Toyota to close on his head and arm. When Officers Anthony Panetta and Scott Lutz then attempted to handcuff Brown, the defendant allegedly flailed his arms, causing injuries to Officer Lutz’s hand.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/story/443291p-373399c.html

http://www.amny.com/news/local/crime/am-hate0814,0,1573949.story?coll=am-topheadlines

[nskripchun]

He's the son of a cop, so is the sentence actually fit the crime?

What's the average sentencing for assault with a deadly weapon in NY?

[angi]

3.5 years out of a possible 15 is pretty weak, but at least he didn't get off. As a son of a cop, I'm surprised he got that much.

[jaehwan]

I'm still surprised that two guys were able to approach four Asian guys and beat up two of them while the two others sat in the car playing with their cell phones. That Brown guy must be pretty big if he injured the cop trying to arrest him, but still...how can you sit in the car while your friends are being beaten up?

Anyway, good to hear that he'll be serving some time.