Man Convicted in Asian Student’s Death

An 18-year-old man was convicted of second-degree murder Wednesday for taking part in the mob beating of a Vietnamese-American student who objected to being called racist names.

Bradley Mills was one of seven people charged with murdering Luyen Phan Nguyen, 19, and the first to go on trial. He faces a maximum of life in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 23.

Nguyen, a University of Miami pre-med student, was attacked after he objected to the racial slurs made at a party. Attorney Bob Hitchcock argued that Mills tried to break up the Aug. 15 fight in suburban Coral Springs and never tried to strike Nguyen.

The beating occurred at a party to which Nguyen and two friends were invited. After a discussion about the Vietnam War and the merits of the U.S. military, Nguyen and his friends started to leave. As Nguyen walked outside, some party-goers shouted racial slurs, and police said Nguyen complained to Mills, who was just arriving.

Prosecutor Peter Magrino said Mills called others outside to attack Nguyen, then threw one of the first punches.

“Luyen Nguyen is dead because of a senseless, vicious, brutal beating that he received at the hands of this defendant and the defendant’s six buddies,” Magrino said in his closing statements. “Folks, he’s the one who ignited the fire. This defendant is not a peacemaker--he’s a murderer.”