San Diego

Three young men believed to be members of a skinhead organization pleaded not guilty Tuesday to an added charge of mayhem in an allegedly racially motivated attack.

The charge was added to the existing two counts of assault and one charge of violating the civil rights of the victim, Eric Vaerga, 18, of San Diego, who was beaten Oct. 21 while his attackers yelled white supremacy slogans.

The defendants, Steven Kuntz, 20, Michael Mann, 19, and Michael DiPaolo, 21, appeared before San Diego Municipal Court Judge Allan Preckel, who set a Nov. 28 preliminary hearing.

Kuntz has previously posted a $50,000 bail bond and is free under the condition he not contact the victim. The other two remain in County Jail on $50,000 bail.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Luis Aragon said the victim “looks Hispanic,” but actually is from a Pacific island.

He suffered a concussion, facial cuts and bruises, a bruised eye, dislocated right ankle and other injuries.

Christopher Plourd, the attorney for DiPaolo, denied that his client is a skinhead.

“I don’t think my client is a true member of that organization,” said Plourd after the arraignment.

Aragon said Mann is on probation for a May 1988 incident of battery in which the two victims were Vietnamese-Americans.

If convicted, the men could receive terms of up to eight years in state prison.

A bail review hearing was scheduled for Mann for Friday, but DiPaolo waived his right to have his bail reviewed for now.