E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSView more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.
CHICAGO -- Seven teens were charged early Wednesday in the attack and robbery of a teenager that was caught on tape and posted on YouTube.
Six boys and a 15-year-old girl are accused of participating in the beating and robbery of a 17-year-old male at about 4 p.m. Sunday in an alley behind an elementary school just south of the city's downtown.
Raymond Palomino, 17, was the only person in the group charged as an adult, with robbery and aggravated battery.
The other six -- two 16-year-old boys, three 15-year-old boys and the15-year-old girl -- were charged as juveniles, also with one count of robbery and one count of aggravated battery. Their names were not released.
The video posted online shows five males kicking and punching the victim while taunting him with racial slurs. The victim was eventually able to run away. He was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and released.
The Associated Press reported that the victim is of Asian descent. Even so, police say the beating did not appear to be racially motivated.
The offenders stole a pair of gym shoes, wallet and cash from the victim, police said.
Palomino is scheduled to appear in bond court Wednesday. The juvenile offenders were turned over to the Juvenile Detention Center for processing, police said.
Leave a Comment:
these kids should get the @!$%# kicked out of them for doing this to someone else. also the police must be stupid as @!$%# if they think this" beating did not appear to be racially motivated." seeings as the video clearly shows "five males kicking and punching the victim while taunting him with racial slurs." and these are all quotes from the statement above. Morons!
At least five of the seven teens charged were Asian. How does a group of mostly Asian teens beating up another Asian teen while using the n-word equal a racially motivated attack?
Local reports have indicated the actual motivation was retaliation. The victim in this case was allegedly involved in (or at least connected with) an attack that took place back in October.
LOL...racially confused...perhaps. Racially motivated...no.
Why didn't they report the crime back then? Is it possible that this same kid has been bullying others even prior to this incident!
Vigilante justice, as seen on the video, is prone to get out of hand. Unless you are advoating an endless round of tit for tat attack and retribution which goes on for generations?
7 on 1, with video highlights is not the way to get justice... when do you expect this to end? Maybe after a Westside story gang fight with AK's, home-made pipe bombs and really good dancing?
They very well may have. But, without the video...or serious life-threatening injury ...it's not inflammatory or salacious enough to generate long term attention. It's reported and forgotten about almost immediately.
100% agreed.
Not advocating...just informing. If the local media reports are accurate...the attack was motivated by revenge...NOT race.
Sadly...I don't.
I just met a girl...named Maria!
They repeatedly taunted him with racial slurs as they beat the pulp out of him and police have determined that this was not racially motivated? Maybe these teens beat up everyone who crosses their path and throw slurs at all of them. Guess they'll get out of the charges because they treat everyone with equal violence. True social justice.
Please see #135.1...
Its easier to get them off... with probation, community service or education/anger management classes - if they can charge them without the added amendments of Hate crime, participation in a gang or criminal enterprise.
Its like pulling a gun, even a fake gun during the commission of a crime. If you snatch a candy bar from a kid - you can be charged with any thing from a simple assault to an armed robbery + commission of a felony with a gun. With a gun usually adds an automatic sentence to prison. the other could be adjudicated by the court with mitigation being considered. One way, the case could be dropped, expunged with good behavior and time, its mostly an administrative process, easily handled locally by non-lawyers, just a clerk putting the right check marks in the righ boxes.
In the other you would have a felony conviction for life, having permanent repercussions to employment, security clearances, Military service voting rights, social standing. The only relief would be through a pardon from the Governor of the state - which is very difficult to get and subject to many obstacles.
Its a good thing that neither the assailants nor the victim were black. In either case it would have been received with a lot more anger ... or swept under the carpet.
Easier for whom to "get them off"? Yes, a conviction on lesser charges will result in a less severe punishment, obviously. But, your phrasing makes it seem as if the States Attorney's Office charged the teens with lesser crimes on purpose?
Again the vast majority of the attackers were the same race as the victim...and the racial slur used was a slur against a race not involved in the attack. How does the DA make a "hate crime" charge stick under those circumstances?
If the police/DA find evidence to support such a charge, the existing charges can be amended to include those elements.
As heinous as this attack was...no gun was used...and while punishment is in order, IMO, a life-long felony conviction is not warranted.
Throw those f*ckheads in prison.