Hate Crime | VivirLatino

Posts Tagged ‘hate crime’

Update: Jorge Steven López Mercado’s Murderer Found Guilty!

3:07 pm By BiancaLaureano · GLBT|Puerto Rico|Violence|youth · Comments Off

13 May 2010

It broke all of us in the VL familia (writers and readers alike) to hear of the murder of 19 year-old Jorge Steven López Mercado almost 5 months ago on November 14, 2009. I just read that the suspect tried for his murder, Juan José Martínez Matos, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 99 years by Judge Miriam Camila Jusino.

Primera Hora has an interview with Jorge’s parents on their site (in Spanish only). the EDGE, a Boston media source, translated part of the statement Primera Hora reported Jorge’s parents:

“We are able to find a bit of peace in this aspect, but it still not going to return Steven,” she said. “But at least there is justice in Puerto Rico.”

Jorge López evoked his faith.

“I want to send a message to Juan (Casper) and tell him there is hope in Christ,” said López with tears in his eyes. “The lord has forgiveness for him, Irregardless of what has happened. God has a plan for him if he opens his heart to Christ. God will forgive him also.”

Read more about hate crimes targeted towards Latinos by our own Mala who wrote “Hate Crimes In Context” last year.

A Transgender Person is Murdered Every 3 Days in the World…Mostly in Latin America

29 Jul 2009

transmap Here at VL we have covered lots of stories about violence against transgender people, and unfortunately many of these cases of violence end in death. What I didn’t know was that the rate at which transgender murders occur worldwide was so high; a recent report by non-profit organization Transgender Europe (TGEU) shows that a transgender person is killed every 3 days. And another disturbing fact is that the majority of these murders are happening in Latin America:

The cases have been reported from all six World regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The majority of cases have been reported from Latin America and North America. On these continents the majority of cases have been reported from Brazil (59) and the U.S.A. (16) for 2008 and from Brazil (23), Venezuela (20), and Guatemala (10) for the first six months of 2009. Moreover, the preliminary results show a total of 11 murdered trans people reported for Colombia followed by 5 for Honduras and 4 for Mexico and Venezuela for 2008, and 6 for Mexico and 3 for Argentina, and the Dominican Republic for the first six months of 2009.

In total 91 murders of trans people were reported in 11 Latin American countries in 2008, and 73 murders of trans people in 11 Latin American countries in the first six months of 2009. The reported murders of trans people in Latin America account for 75% and 88% of the world wide reported murders of trans people in 2008 and the first six months of
2009 respectively.

The map associated with the study (image above) for 2009 to date shows the highest concentration of murders in South America, particularly in Brazil.

Spain’s Ambiente G reports on another chilling statistic: in Peru, a gay or lesbian person is killed every 5 days.

Via / Ambiente G and TGEU

Justice? Ohio Latino Teen Tied to Truck and Dragged in Hate Crime, Attacker Sentenced to 10 Days in Jail

4:11 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Controversia|Ohio|race|society|Violence · 1 Comment

22 Jul 2009

An Ohio Latino teen, Robert Cantú (seen in the video above) was allegedly the victim of an unspeakable hate crime: last year, he was reportedly tied by his neck with a noose and dragged by a pickup truck in his hometown of Mount Vernon.

According to Cantu the incident occurred on or about May 30, 2008. Cantu said he was with a friend when Klein and three others jumped him, and tied a rope with a noose around his neck. The other end of the rope was tied to a truck and Cantu said he was dragged for several feet. After stopping the truck, the attackers, allegedly including Klein, exited the truck and began to attack Cantu. According to Cantu, a passer-by, Ezzy Thompson, who was known to Cantu, intervened, chasing off the attackers and removing the noose from Cantu’s neck.

“[Thompson] was with his girlfriend,” said Cantu. “He saw me on the ground and ran over and pushed the guys off me. He got the noose off me. I’ve known Ezzy for about eight years. He was just in the area.”

Cantú’s mother said it took police 10 months to make an arrest, and that only happened after the Anti-Defamation League applied pressure to authorities.

But that’s not all. A second victimization of Robert has also just happened, as his harasser, also a teenager, has been sentenced to a mere 10 days in jail after a plea deal.

LULAC Ohio is hosting a “Vigil for Justice” this Friday in Mount Vernon. Details after the jump.

Latino Gang Suspected in California Hate Crime

10:50 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · crime|Los Angeles|race|society · Comments Off

4 Jun 2009

A family in Pasadena, California thought they were moving into the home of their dreams. African-Americans who had no qualms about moving into an all-Latino neighborhood called Duarte, the Davy family they thought both the home and the area had everything they were looking for. That is, until their house was destroyed from top to bottom in an allegedly racially-motivated attack. The Los Angeles Times reports:

Davy never thought about the fact that they would be the only black family on the mostly Latino block — until someone reminded her in a way that still makes her eyes tear and her stomach twist.

On May 8, Davy opened the door to her home and was greeted by a barrage of spray-painted racial epithets. The hardwood floors, the mirrors, the televisions, the dressers — the vandals had turned the entire place into a canvas for that six-letter word used for decades to scare and scar African Americans.

Shaken, she immediately left and called police. And aside from one trip back to pick up some clothes, Davy has refused to return to a scene authorities believe was created by members of a local Latino gang.

“As far as hate crimes go, it’s probably one of the worst ones I’ve seen in my career,” said Sgt. Tony Haynes of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Duarte station. “They trashed the furniture and tossed drawers — there was pretty much no room left untouched.”

Chanisse discovered this terrifying scene upon coming home from picking up her daughter from day care. Since then, the Davys have been living in a hotel and are afraid to return to their home.

The LA Times reports that interracial shootings have happened in the past in Duarte, but no one in the community seems to have been prepared for something of this magnitude.

Earlier this week, Latino and Black victims of hate crimes in Pasadena, including Chanisse Davy, came together to demand an end to the violence.

Via / LA Times

Angie Zapata Case Goes to Jury as a Hate Crime

4:21 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Colorado|crime|GLBT|Justice|society · Comments Off

22 Apr 2009

The trial of transgender murder victim Angie Zapata goes to the jury today in Colorado, and marks the first time the state will try a case in which gender identity — recognized as a protected class by Colorado and 11 other states — gets hate crime status.

The killer, one Allen Andrade, claims he lost control upon learning Angie’s gender but prosecutors say the killing — by blunt force trauma with a fire extinguisher — was premeditated:

But prosecutor Brandi Nieto argued that Andrade learned the truth about Zapata’s gender 36 hours before he killed her. Andrade had accompanied Zapata to traffic court, where clerks called her Justin Zapata, Nieto said.

“This was not a snap decision,” she said.

Last month, a judge threw out Andrade’s confession to police, saying it came after the suspect told them he was through answering questions. Prosecutors say they intend to use statements he made to others, including, “It’s not like I . . . killed a straight, law-abiding citizen.”

Wow, what a heartless individual.

The L.A. Times reports that controversy has erupted in the courtroom as the defense attorney insisted on referring to Angie as “Justin” or “he”, while the prosecution referred to her as “she”.

The video above shows coverage of the trial from earlier this week. The question that remains is what Andrade will be charged with. Since his defense concedes he is guilty, it’s now up to jurors to decide whether he will be charged with 1st degree murder — which will mean life in prison without parole — or a lesser charge.

Via / L.A. Times

Rally/Vigil in Brooklyn Today for José Osvaldo Sucuzhanay

8:21 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Immigration|Justice|New York City · Comments Off

14 Dec 2008

This afternoon there will be a vigil for the recently deceased Ecuadorian migrant who was assaulted in a hate crime in Brooklyn. The vigil against hate will take place at 2 p.m., in the community park at Grove St. and Myrtle Ave., in Bushwick. Take the L subway line to Myrtle-Wyckoff or the M to Knickerbocker Ave.

Did Obama Support Lead to Car Keying?

9:00 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · US Presidential Race 2008 · Comments Off

29 Jul 2008

A Vancouver woman with a Barack Obama sign by her house found her car keyed with some choice words.

The words “white power” and “I’m gay” were etched into the car of Karen Wastradowski last Saturday. Wastradowski had left her car in the driveway of her home when the vandals struck.

She filed a report with Vancouver police. Wastradowski said a blue “Elect Obama” sign in her yard could have caused the crime.

I know that whenever I see a John McCain sign I have the uncontrollable urge to tag “Puerto Rican Power” oh but wait, I don’t think I’ve seen a John McCain sign.

Apparently the area where the keying happened has a history of racist assholes.

Yes, Clark County has its share of unrepentant bigots. Earlier this year the son of a Battle Ground city council member was charged with cyberstalking over virulently racist emails sent to a black council member and other community members. So while vandalism is not exactly an unusual thing during the summer months, it’s also not acceptable to just shrug off racist defacement of private property as “just kids being kids.” They learned it somewhere.

Via / Pam’s House Blend

Hate crime survivor dead

8:50 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · crime|Justice|society · Comments Off

3 Jul 2007

18 year-old David Ritcheson, a young Latino man from Houston who survived a brutal racially motivated attack last year has died after jumping from a Carnival cruise ship:

David Ritcheson hated being known as “that kid” the teenager who was beaten unconscious and sodomized with a plastic pole during a party where one of his assailants shouted “White Power!” Ritcheson didn’t want to stand out from his classmates because of the assault, but he acknowledged in an interview that “it was just really hard to hold your head up, even to walk outside with everyone almost in the world knowing what happened.” That anguish may have contributed to his decision to leap Sunday from a cruise ship to his death in the Gulf of Mexico.

A man at Ritcheson’s home who identified himself as the teen’s father confirmed the death Monday to The Associated Press. He declined to give his name or comment further, saying the family would issue a statement later.

What’s unclear in these initial reports surfacing in media today is whether David’s death was a suicide or an accident, though mainstream media outlets seems to be alluding to the former. It’s a tragic death either way, and I sincerely hope that the hate crime bill proposed in David’s name by Houston-area Representative Sheila Jackson Lee — already approved by the House — gets passed in the Senate.

Via / ABC News

90 years and life for hate crime against Latino youth

6:58 pm By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · Justice|race|Texas · Comments Off

12 Dec 2006

Last month we told you about a hate crime in Houston in which a Latino youth was brutally beaten and sexually abused by a white youth because he tried to kiss white girl. Now, one of the accused in the case, Keith Turner, faces 90 years in prison.

A jury gave a 17-year-old Texan a 90-year jail sentence on Monday for his part in a brutal and racially motivated assault on a Hispanic youth.

“The jury has recommended 90 years for Keith Turner,” a clerk at the 209 Criminal District Court in Houston told Reuters.

The clerk said Turner had 30 days to appeal the sentence and if it remained in place he would not be eligible for parole for at least 30 years.

Turner was convicted on Friday of aggravated sexual assault for the April incident in which the victim was sodomized by a plastic pipe, stomped and burned during an attack at a house party.

His friend, David Tuck, 18 was sentenced to life last month.

Via / Alertnet.org

Anti-Latino hate crime in Chinatown

11:50 am By Jennifer Woodard Maderazo · race|San Francisco · 3 Comments

12 Jul 2006

I guess those of us who like to think of the City by the Bay as the real City of Brotherly Love and a utopic bubble of tolerance will have to think again, in light of a recent hate crime against a Latino youth. This happened blocks from my home, and the crime is even more disturbing in that it was perpetrated by a group of Asian youths who yelled racial slurs as they beat the kid unconscious.

Back in May we posted that hate crimes against Latinos were on the rise, and that this was tied to the immigration debate. I never thought I’d see it happen in my own backyard, an immigrant enclave par excellence. In the years I’ve been around San Francisco, I’ve seen the number of Latino immigrants working in Chinatown businesses grow significantly, and how suddenly some shops were stocking calling cards for Mexico as a result of this influx. I’m not sure if this particular attack could be linked to immigration, but the irony of this happening in a neighborhood like Chinatown is not lost on me.

Details around this case are sketchy (the media doesn’t tend to cover hate crimes against any group with much willingness) but what is known is that the teens have been arrested and the victim has been released from the hospital.

Via / San Francisco Chronicle

Scrying Nicki Minaj, Stupid Hoe, and #Afrofutures | Nuñez Daughter: [...] forest of things that seem to matter a lot–like fingers waving in presidential faces� [...]

Karen: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/01/09/120109fa_fact_auletta [...]

Karen: I just read this about Rubio. Let's see the GOP make him a VP nominee. LOL http://www.democraticu [...]

Martes Media Minute : Roe v. Wade Anniversary, Medicaid Mama y Midwife Victory, Cervical Cancer Awareness month, & Mala’s Mami Closeup, | VivirLatino: [...] last week’s liveblog of a conversation on cervical cancer and Latin@s, Bianca Laureano s [...]

Emiliano: thanks for your reviews. i feel like you tell it like you really feel. [...]

VivirLatino