U.S. Charges Filed in Attack on Black Teen

Federal criminal charges have been brought against two reputed skinheads, both 16, in a machete attack on a black teenager blamed for setting off a monthlong rash of racial incidents in the Antelope Valley, it was revealed Monday.

But state hate-crime charges against one of the boys have been dropped because he was not identified by witnesses in a lineup, prosecutors said.

The existence of the charges, which federal prosecutors are obliged not to make public, was revealed Monday during a hearing at Sylmar Juvenile Hall on whether the youth still facing state charges can be tried as an adult in that case.

The hearing was postponed after Deputy Dist. Atty. Carol J. Najera asked Deputy Public Defender James Coady how he would coordinate his state case with the federal trial.

Coady said he was unaware of federal charges. But County Commissioner Gary A. Polinsky confirmed such charges had been brought and gave Coady until Aug. 14 to prepare.

U.S. Atty. Michael Gennaco would not say if the boys were charged with violations of civil rights laws, the federal equivalent of a hate crime under state law. He also declined to say whether the federal government will seek to try the youths as adults.

Najera also could not elaborate on the federal charges against the boys.

“As stated in court, there are federal charges against them,” she said. “I haven’t been told any more than that.”

If prosecuted as adults for violating federal civil rights laws, the boys face up to 10 years in prison. If found guilty as juveniles, they could be held until the age of 21.

They were arrested one day after the July 8 assault on Marcus Cotton, 16, and his cousin, Angela McKenzie, 17. Marcus was cut with a machete, but was not gravely injured; Angela was pushed to the ground and spat on.

Following that assault, four racial attacks took place in the Antelope Valley in 25 days. Three were allegedly carried out by blacks who made references to skinheads while attacking whites, sheriff’s deputies have said.

The fourth and most recent assault occurred July 29, when a black man told sheriff’s deputies he was assaulted by three youths who appeared to be skinheads, as he waited for his child to get out of school.

All of the victims were either treated at local hospitals and released, or were not injured seriously enough to require medical care.