Tuesday, February 22, 2005

D.A. BROWN: TWO YOUTHS INDICTED ON HATE CRIME CHARGES IN BIAS-RELATED ATTACK ON MIDDLE VILLAGE, QUEENS MAN; FACE UP TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today that two youths have been indicted by a Queens Grand Jury on hate crime charges in a bias-related assault last month on a Middle Village, Queens man -- a self-described Satanist -- who was beaten with a metal pipe and an ice scraper and physically injured.

District Attorney Brown said, “The defendants are charged with having harassed and attacked the victim because he was different from them. Crimes motivated by bias -- particularly those involving violence -- can never be tolerated. They inflict on victims incalculable physical and emotional damage and tear at the very fabric of free society.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Paul Rotondi, 18, of 156-29 75th Street in Howard Beach, Queens, no known employment, and Frank Scarpinito, 18, of 69-25 62nd Road in Middle Village, Queens, a plumber. The defendants have been charged in a four-count indictment filed last week in Queens Supreme Court with Assault in the Second Degree as a Hate Crime, Assault in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree and Aggravated Harassment in the Second Degree and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

District Attorney Brown said that the indictment charges that the incident took place on January 9, 2005 between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m. in front of 60-01 72nd Street in Middle Village, Queens. It is alleged that the defendants taunted the victim, Daniel Romano, 20, by calling out to him, “Hey Satan.” It is further alleged that defendant Scarpinito was holding an ice scraper and defendant Rotondi was holding a metal pipe and that they both struck the victim in the head and body with the weapons and then fled.

The District Attorney said that the victim was treated at a local hospital for bruises and lacerations and received 12 stitches to the top of his head.

District Attorney Brown said that it is additionally alleged that in month preceding the incident the victim said the defendants had also called him “Satan Worshipper” “Baby Sacrificer” and “Hooker Killer.” At the time of the alleged assault, Romano was wearing black nail polish on each of his fingers, an upside down crucifix and his hair was dyed blue.

The defendants were arrested by detectives of the New York City Police Department’s Hate Crime Task Force. They remain free on $5,000 bail and are expected to be arraigned on the indictment in about two weeks.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney George J. Farrugia, Supervisor, of the District Attorney’s Gang Violence and Hate Crimes Bureau under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Mariela Palomino Herring, Bureau Chief, Robert J. Hanophy Jr., Deputy Bureau Chief, and Charles N. Walsh, Senior Trial Attorney, and the overall supervision of Senior Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials James Clark Quinn and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Trials John H. Larsen.

It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.