White Gives Information in Racial Attack

One of three teen-agers charged with murder in a racial attack on three black men in the white neighborhood of Howard Beach last December is cooperating with prosecutors, it was revealed in court Tuesday.

A dozen white teen-agers were arraigned Tuesday on charges ranging from murder to rioting. The murder charges stem from the death of one of the black men, who was struck by an oncoming car after he fled onto a highway. Justice Alfred D. Lerner, who presided over the arraignment, called the case “an American tragedy.”

All of the defendants, ranging in age from 16 to 19, pleaded not guilty.

‘Could Happen Anyplace’

Special State Prosecutor Charles J. Hynes said that the case, which has sparked a reassessment of race relations in New York City and has drawn national attention, “is not about Howard Beach. This is something that could happen anyplace in the world where people distrust and hate.” The murder charges were partially the result of new information provided by Robert Riley, 17, who is cooperating with authorities, Hynes said.

Jon Lester and Scott Kern, both 17, the other two youths charged Tuesday with second-degree murder, had faced the same charge in December, but it was dropped by a judge because of lack of evidence. Riley was not mentioned in court at that time.

Unlike Lester and Kern, who were denied bail Tuesday, Riley was released on his own recognizance. Bail for the other defendants ranged from $15,000 to $50,000. They were ordered back to court March 6.

The grand jury indictment charging Lester, Kern and Riley with the murder of Michael Griffith, 23, said the trio had shown “a depraved indifference to human life,” and had “recklessly engaged in conduct which created a grave risk of death to another person.”

The indictment said the teen-agers caused Griffith’s death by forcing him to run onto the Belt Parkway where he was struck and killed by the car.

Victims of Attack

Griffith, an occasional construction worker; his stepfather, Cedric Sandiford, 36, a mechanic’s assistant; and Timothy Grimes, 18, unemployed, were attacked by a group in Howard Beach on the evening of Dec. 20 after the car in which they were driving broke down. The men were attacked just as they emerged from a local pizza parlor.

According to the indictment, Sandiford was hit in the back with a baseball bat. He was also struck by sticks. Later, according to the indictment, several of the defendants gathered in a local restaurant to discuss the beating.

In addition to the murder charge, which can carry a sentence of from 15 years to life in prison, Lester and Kern were charged with attempted murder, manslaughter, assault, rioting and conspiracy. Riley was charged with manslaughter, assault, rioting, conspiracy and criminal facilitation.

Two other defendants, Jason Ladone, 16, and Thomas Gucciardo, 17, also were charged with attempted murder, which can carry a sentence of from two years to 25 years in prison. Other defendants were accused of manslaughter, assault and rioting.

Hynes, who was appointed by Gov. Mario M. Cuomo to take over the case from Queens Dist. Atty. John J. Santucci, said the advantage he had over Santucci in securing indictments was the decision of witnesses to cooperate. In addition to Riley, both Sandiford and Grimes provided testimony to Hynes after originally refusing to cooperate.