| Example from Baskersfield, CA. SupportiveArgument1 #119634 Police accused four white men of a hate crime against three Hispanics. The fight between the groups was not anything to do with race, rather to do with one of the Hispanic men kicking one of the white men's dog. , and the fight escalated from there. |
Friends of four white men who are accused of a hate crime against a group of Mexicans tell ABC 23 the accusations are completely false.
Witnesses said Saturday’s confrontation between a group of white men and a group of Mexicans along the Kern River was simply a fight that was blown way out of proportion.
Jonathan Harrelson, Jacob Thomas, Ronald Burt and Nicky Mckenzie pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday afternoon.
All are accused of committing a hate crime, assault with a deadly weapon and gang participation, charges family and friends of the defendants believe are unwarranted.
"What the cops did was wrong. I see that they see there's two races, one that’s more injured than the other so they look at it as a hate crime, but it wasn't even like that," said Jason Alderman.
Sheriff's officials say they do not take accusations of a hate crime lightly.
"Generally what we look for are statements of the victims, suspects, witnesses in the area and try to determine if the crime was committed because of the victim’s classifications," said Lt. Edward Komin.
Investigators said that according to witnesses, Saturday's fight at the Kern River started when the defendants made racial slurs towards a group of Mexicans and ended with three of the Mexicans in the hospital.
But Alderman, Brandy Rector and Michelle Hatridge, who allegedly witnessed the fight, said that's not true.
"(There were) no racial slurs. Nothing of the kind. One of the Hispanics kicked my uncle's dog as we were getting in the car leaving and when my uncle told them not to kick the dog, the Hispanic guy started jumping around trying to fight and he came at my uncle," said Hatridge, Ronald Burt's niece.
The Sheriff's Office says Jonathan Harrelson is a known member of Oildale Peckerwood, a mostly white gang investigators say is known for its animosity towards other races.
But Rector and Hatridge say there was no hostility earlier that day with the victims.
"We were hanging out all day. They were drinking together and stuff, hanging out, talking, having a good time. My uncle actually got one of their numbers because they were going to hang out later, talk later," said Hatridge.
Hatridge doesn't believe investigators questioned anyone from the defendants' side. She said if they had, this case would be thrown out. Harrelson, Thomas, Burt and Mckenzie are due next in court June 15. Harrelson’s bail is set at $230,000 and the other three men's bail is set at $150,000.
http://www.turnto23.com/east_county/19639643/detail.html |