Sentencing in Halloween Beatings Case: Justice Denied

Article Launched: 02/02/2007 03:12:41 PM PST Long Beach Press-Telegram

" LONG BEACH - Four teens were sentenced to probation and house arrest for 60 days for their roles in the Halloween beatings of three young white women attacked by a mob of black youths in Bixby Knolls on Halloween."

The first sentencing outcomes by Judge Lee in the Long Beach Halloween Beating case were revealed today 02, 02, 07. The male youth , who "lied" in court said he was the good Samaritan rather than the 35 year Black man who really did rescue the young women from further injury maybe even death. This convicted youth said in court that he had tried to protect the young women who were attacked. Very few seemed to believe his story including the judge. This youth was given house arrest and then probation, a very lenient sentence given the severity and consequences of his vicious acts which rendered one of the young women unconscious. One of the victims says it was this youth who caused her to become unconscious from hitting her in the head and face with a skateboard. The judge said in effect that his hands were tied by procedures and juvenile court policies which limited the severity of the "verdict" he could render. The attorney Doug Otto and his defendant in the case were clearly stressed by the lenient sentencing especially as it related to the only male, now age 18, in the case.

If one of the youths who did the most serious of the crimes was given no juvenile hall or jail time, it seems clear the others will be given even less harsh sentences although it is hard to conceive of what is less severe than probation. It is hard to figure out what the judge in this case was thinking. It is hard to conceive that the Judge had just caved in to pressure from those in the community defending the youths and equally hard to think he was just trying to prevent more violence as that would be giving in blatant intimidation. It is possible the judge just thought it would be better for the justice system in this case the justice system for juveniles to take a non vindictive stance which is supposed to be the role of juvenile courts. According to local reports, few if any of the youths were in trouble with the law before this incident. The system must be geared to the idea of giving the youth found to be culpable of offenses of a serious nature a second chance with more severe consequences if something were to happen down the road from here. But this seems odd given the fact that any one of the three young female victims could have easily died from their beatings if there had not been an intervention by an outsider and several other witnesses.

I am left feeling very badly for the three young women victims. They are still suffering such great pain yet showing great courage in the face of such seeming indifference from the perpetrators and their families. I am not a supporter or defender of our often unequal and defective legal system especially as it metes out decisions affecting persons of color but in this case I am at a loss and shake my head no, no, no at Judge Lee's decision. It is a sad day for my city of Long Beach. My only hope is that the sentenced juveniles and all those who hung around that evening learn some compassion for the victims in this case, and learn that the victims were not them not that fateful evening in Bixby Knolls, Halloween Eve 06.

Sharon Raphael