Hate-Crime Victim Sues 2 of His Attackers

Two young South County men who admitted to the brutal beating of a 55-year-old man whom they believed was gay were sued Wednesday by the victim, Loc Minh Truong.

Truong asks for unspecified damages for lost wages and hospital expenses, plus $25,000 in civil penalties for hate crimes from Christopher M. Cribbins and Jeff M. Raines.

Cribbins, 22, and Raines, 19, pleaded guilty earlier this month to their role in the Jan. 9 attack on a beach in Laguna, which left Truong in critical condition. When they are sentenced Oct. 8, Cribbins faces a maximum sentence of one year in county jail; Raines, who police said did the actual beating, faces 11 years in prison.

Truong charges in the suit that Cribbins, Raines and about 10 people in two cars conspired to go to Laguna Beach “to harass and assault homosexual individuals.”

They confronted him on Mountain Street Beach, the suit charges, “making harassing remarks relating to sexual preference, threatening remarks, and closing in around (him).”

According to the suit, they “willfully and intentionally shoved, beat and kicked” Truong. Those who did not actually beat Truong, according to the suit, stood by and did nothing to stop it and later aided in Raines’ and Cribbins’ escape.

On Aug. 2, Cribbins pleaded guilty to assault. Raines pleaded guilty to attempted murder with intent to do great bodily injury.