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Oakland teen pleads not guilty to setting bus rider ablaze

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The high school student charged with a hate crime for allegedly setting the clothes of an Oakland teen who identifies as non-gender on fire pleaded not guilty.

Luke “Sasha” Fleischman, 18, was asleep on an Oakland city bus Nov. 4 when the high schooler’s skirt was allegedly set ablaze by 16-year-old Richard Thomas, who was charged as an adult with assault and aggravated mayhem with hate-crime enhancements.

Thomas allegedly told a police officer after the incident that he set Fleischman’s skirt on fire because he was “homophobic.”

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Fleischman, who identifies as neither male nor female, suffered second- and third-degree burns in the attack.

Thomas’ attorney William Du Bois described the incident to the Oakland Tribune as a childish prank gone wrong.

In an interview with CBS San Francisco in late November, even Fleischman questioned whether Thomas should be charged as an adult.

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“I don’t want to be too harsh, just because, people do dumb things,” Fleischman said.

Du Bois said he is planning a second petition to have Thomas’ case remanded to juvenile court based on a review of his client’s confidential criminal record.

jason.wells@latimes.com

Twitter: @jasonbretwells | Facebook | Google+

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