2 Suspected Skinheads Deny Assaulting Black Teens

Two 16-year-old boys from the Antelope Valley with suspected skinhead ties denied in court Monday that they participated in an alleged hate crime attack on two black teenagers during which a machete was used.

The two young men entered denials in juvenile court, the equivalent of not-guilty pleas, to one felony count each of assault with a deadly weapon with the added special allegation that they committed a hate crime. Both were expected to remain in custody, officials said.

Sylmar juvenile court Commissioner Gary Polinsky will preside over upcoming hearings, during which prosecutors will preview the teenagers’ case and the judge will decide if they will be tried as adults.

“We’re obviously asking that they be tried as adults,” said Laura Priver, deputy in charge of the district attorney’s Sylmar Juvenile Division. She said the decision was based on “the seriousness of the offense as well as the motivation.”

The pair, whom authorities have not identified because of their age, are accused in the July 8 attack in Lancaster on 16-year-old Marcus Cotton and his cousin, 17-year-old Angela McKenzie. Marcus was slashed several times and Angela was spat upon.

Authorities said the machete attack was the third racially motivated assault in the Antelope Valley, 60 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, in just over a year. In its wake, three whites have reported separate attacks by blacks who made remarks about white-supremacist skinheads.

Priver said Monday’s court hearing, which was open to the news media because of the seriousness of the charges, lasted about 15 minutes and was mostly routine. The two youths were represented by Deputy Public Defender Jim Cody and a court-appointed private counsel.

Cody requested that the judge issue an order against members of the news media trying to contact family members of the accused youths, Priver said. The judge did not rule on this and instead invited Cody to make a formal written request.

Priver said the youth who allegedly spearheaded the attack faces a maximum 11 years in custody, including an extra three years for allegedly inflicting great bodily injury, while his companion faces a maximum eight-year sentence, whether they are tried as adults or juveniles.

Marcus was walking his cousin toward her home at about 11 p.m. July 8 when the youths drove past in a car and yelled “White power!” and gave Nazi salutes, the couple later told sheriff’s deputies. The young men then allegedly tried to run down the couple as they fled.

Then, climbing out of the car, one of the teens allegedly spat on Angela and pushed her out of the way when she tried to help Marcus, who was being punched, kicked and slashed with the machete, officials said. He was treated at a local hospital for his wounds and released.