by Deputy Diva

   Seven Long Island, NY students from Patchogue-Medford High School were arraigned Monday for a fatal stabbing Ecuadorian immigrant, Marcello Lucero, 38 of Patchogue. 

Prosecutor have deemed the incident a hate crime because the teens reportedly said, they intended “to find some Mexicans to [expletive] up.”

“In their own words, ‘Let’s go find some Mexicans to —- up,’ ” said Assistant District Attorney Nancy Clifford at First District Court in Central Islip.  SOURCE

Interesting though, five of the seven suspects are white; two are of Hispanic ancestry.  All of them are 17, except for one who is 16. All the suspects pleaded not guilty.

“I find it interesting at the very least that my client is named Jose Pacheco and is also of Hispanic heritage,” said Pacheco’s attorney, Chris Kirby of Syosset.

Prosecutors described a planned attack in which the group drove around in an attempt to go “Beaner jumping,” as the suspects called it under police questioning. They were seeking out a Hispanic victim after one or more of the suspects days earlier knocked down another man, only to have him escape, prosecutors said.

Reportedly the gang yelled racial epithets before launching the attack.   A Latino Advocacy group is planning a wrongful death suit against the parents of the teens citing their “Moral responsibility” in raising their children.

“Parents that teach their children hate are just as responsible as the kids who commit the crimes,” said Fernando Mateo, president of Hispanics Across America. Feeding and sheltering children isn’t enough, Mateo said. Children need to be taught values.

“We cannot harbor terrorists in our homes,” he said.  SOURCE

One of the suspects Christopher Overton, 16, of East Patchogue, has been in trouble with the law before. 

Overton pleaded guilty to burglary in a 2007 botched home invasion by a group of teenagers.  East Patchogue homeowner Carlton Shaw, 38, was shot dead during the attack.   SOURCE

Prosecutors plan to revoke the teen’s plea deal in that case citing that his involvement in this new attack have violated the terms of that agreement.

There have been allegations that there are racial issues at the teens’ school, Patchogue-Medford High School regarding  Latino students.  Latino students have reportedly been harassed by some white students. 

Between the parental responsibility, or in this case -lack thereof of these teens coupled with the racial tension reportedly in this school, I hope this tragic case has at least been enough of a wake up call to ensure that nothing like this happens in the future.

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