Jews Major Target of Hate-Motivated Incidents in 1994 : Bias: The overall number of such acts reported in the county last year increased slightly from 1993, commission study finds.

For the first time since officials began keeping records four years ago, Jews were targeted in more hate crimes and hate-related incidents in 1994 than any other group in Orange County, according to a report released Thursday.

Overall, the number of reported incidents against all groups increased only slightly from 1993 to 1994. But the number of times in which there was a Jewish victim rose dramatically from 31 to 53, according to the Orange County Human Relations Commission study.

“There’s more neo-Nazi activity than there’s been in a long time,” said Joyce Greenspan, director of the local chapter of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith. “But I also think, on a positive note, that Jewish people are becoming more aware of the need to report these incidents.”

Although skinheads and members of other white supremacist groups appear to be responsible for many of the reported acts, officials said, the vast majority probably were not committed by skinheads.

“There is a disproportionate number of skinheads and skinhead-related incidents in Orange County, but I would not label this county as a bastion of skinhead activity,” said Brian Levin, a Newport Beach attorney who specializes in bias crimes. “And when someone puts up a sign with ‘Adolf Hitler’ on it, it doesn’t mean a skinhead did it.”

The Human Relations Commission report comes on the heels of another study by the Anti-Defamation League of Orange County, which had similar findings.

That report, which was released last month, showed that Orange County experienced more anti-Semitic incidents last year than during any year since the league began tracking them in 1981. It did not, however, document incidents targeting any other group.

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In the report released Thursday, the Human Relations Commission showed that hate-motivated acts against blacks and Latinos also rose, while incidents with Asian, white and homosexual victims decreased. Officials, however, believe the numbers are deceivingly low.

“We see significant underreporting in the Latino, Asian and the gay and lesbian communities,” said Rusty Kennedy, executive director of the Human Relations Commission. “In the Latino community, we suspect underreporting because . . . of Proposition 187 and the hateful dialogue that was said in connection with that.”

Although Jews were targeted more times than any other group in 1994, other groups bore the brunt of the most violent crimes, according to the report.

In Huntington Beach, for instance, two white men said to have embraced white supremacist beliefs face murder and hate-crime charges in connection with the September shooting death of Vernon Windell Flournoy, a 44-year-old black man.

One of the men charged in the slaying, Jonathan Russell Kinsey, 19, is also charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and commission of a hate crime in the August shooting of two Latino men in Huntington Beach.

Flournoy “was simply walking in front of a McDonald’s restaurant on Beach Boulevard when two young men approached him and shot him to death,” said Bill Wood, the commission’s vice chairman. “While many of these (hate-related) incidents tend to be very cowardly in nature, this one was very bold.”

In September, a gay couple were shot at, kicked and robbed on the beach in Laguna. One suspect reportedly asked the men about their sexual orientation, using a derogatory term.

And in May, a Cambodian woman working in a San Clemente market was beaten on the head by a white male transient who reportedly uttered a racial insult.

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Although as much as three years in prison can be added to the sentences of those convicted of hate crimes, few such cases are prosecuted in Orange County because suspects are not always identified and it is often difficult to prove that bias motivated an illegal act, officials said.

The Orange County district attorney’s office reviewed a record 22 potential hate-crime cases in 1994 but cited insufficient evidence in rejecting 16 of the cases as hate crimes. Most of the rejected cases went forward on other charges, such as assault.

Despite the low prosecution rate, Human Relations Commission representatives said they will be meeting with various community leaders and members of the ethnic press to stress the importance of reporting hate-related incidents to proper authorities.

“This is not a report that is put on the shelf,” said Ken Inouye, chairman of the commission. “We at the Human Relations Commission use it as a tool. It helps us identify trends and identify victim groups. It’s also used by law enforcement officials.”

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Hate Incidents Although hate- related incidents in Orange County increased only slightly in 1994, there was a 71% increase in the number of episodes involving Jews. Incidents in 1994 and change from 1993:

Group Targeted Incidents Change Jews 53 +22 Blacks 36 +7 Homosexuals 22 -13 Latinos 19 +7 Asians 11 -4 Whites 3 -1 Arabs 2 -3 Iranians 2 -2 Multiple victims* 32 -13 Others 2 +2

* More than one group targeted. *

Incidents Trend ‘94: 182 *

Hate Targets The 668 hate- related incidents since 1991 have involved mostly Jews and blacks. Subjects of hate- related incidents, 1991- 94: Blacks: 23% Jews: 18% Multiple victims: 17% Homosexuals: 14% Asians: 12% Latinos: 7% Others: 9% Source: Orange County Human Relations Commission; Researched by DIANE SEO / Los Angeles Times