Parents of accused Long Beach teens speak out

AP via SacBee ^ | 1/21/7

[SmithL]

The parents of the 10 black youths on trial for allegedly battering three white women on Halloween spoke out for the first time at a community forum and said prosecutors had failed to prove their case.

About 100 people gathered Saturday at the California Recreation Community Center in Long Beach, just days before the defense was to finish its closing arguments.

Some of the parents said their children were good students or athletes with promising futures and had no criminal records. They assailed what they called a rush to judgment.

"They've been presumed guilty," said Allene Seymore, the mother of a 16-year-old female defendant. "This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said.

The defendants ranged in age from 12 to 17 at the time of the Oct. 31 attack in the posh Bixby Knolls neighborhood. All have pleaded not guilty.

"My kids are innocent," said Cherralle Hargison, the mother of four of the youths on trial. "They're devastated. They can't even go to school, because they're in court every day."

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Fact1: All criminals once had no criminal record.
Fact2: Having no criminal record does not grant one a pass.

[rabscuttle385]

"They've been presumed guilty," said Allene Seymore, the mother of a 16-year-old female defendant. "This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said.

The children are going through the normal legal process. Plus, I don't hear anyone crying out, "They're black, so they're guilty!" like the folks in the Duke lacrosse players crying out, "They're white, so they should pay anyways!"

[bannie]

"This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said.

EXACTLY!!!! Your kids beat her up because of the color of her skin...not because of the content of her character.

Go suck an egg, lady.

[flynmudd]

I doubt the parents know what their kids are doing. I'm sure all of them were at home at the time doing their homework which they are all straight A students./sarc

[Plains Drifter]

HHHHHHMMMM too bad, looks like people want to forget this story, wonder why???

[bannie]

All of that "presumed innocent" stuff is for the COURTS.

"Presumed innocent in a court of law."

Actually, the minute you commit the crime you are guilty. When the world knows it, they don't have to "presume your innocence." THAT rule is just for the courts of law--not for the working brains of the people.

[norton]

"My kids are innocent,"

Now there is something you don't hear in court too very often.

(Of course they aren't lady, and we'll have all those witnesses up on charges just as soon as we finish negotiations with the ACLU)
(sarc)

[Antonello]

"They've been presumed guilty," said Allene Seymore, the mother of a 16-year-old female defendant. "This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said.

Too bad they weren't white Lacrosse players. Then they would never be 'presumed guilty'.

In all seriousness, though, I don't know the facts or evidence in this case, so I can't say if these parents have a valid argument or not.

[aligncare]

The nine girls and one boy on trial are charged with assault with intent to cause great bodily harm; eight of them face a hate crime enhancement because racial slurs were allegedly said during the attack.

I think being human trumps being a particular race of human.

You go for the maximum criminal penalty and stop with this politicization of a violent criminal act.

[jude24]

"My kids are innocent," said Cherralle Hargison, the mother of four of the youths on trial.

Fact Three: even the biggest scumbag has a mother willing to proclaim his ignorance.

[Roccus]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1734481/posts

[Roccus]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1742871/posts

[Seruzawa]

Parents of criminal children say they are good kids unfairly accused. This is news?

[relictele]

I'm frequently amazed at how some people interpret MLK's speeches & writings to assume that crime won't be punished.

[Yorlik803]

Kind of like the ZEBRA killings.....

[bannie]

Agree--King would be more angry than we are over the twisting of his words.

[Antonello]

Thanks for the link. With evidence that strong against their kids, no wonder the parents are playing the race card. It's all they have.

[jackibutterfly]

"This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said."

Yeah, and whose fault is THAT???

"The defendants ranged in age from 12 to 17 at the time of the Oct. 31 attack in the posh Bixby Knolls neighborhood. All have pleaded not guilty. "?i>

Yeah, nobody did nuttin'! Those girls just had bruises and broken bones just appear. Geeeeesh! Enough already!

[Plains Drifter]

God I remember that phrase, that was a long time ago, but still true.

[traditional1]

"Having no criminal record does not grant one a pass."

They're using the "OJ Defense"....

Get enough blacks on the jury, and cry "racism"

[randog]

Actually, the presumption of innocence is only if a jury cannot decide guilt or innocence. IOW, in the event of a tie, game goes to the accused.

[bannie]

The overall presumption in the court only lasts until the verdict has been reached.

:-)

[rabidralph]

Will the last person out please turn off the boldface?

[rabidralph]

"They've been presumed guilty," said Allene Seymore, the mother of a 16-year-old female defendant. "This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said.

The lacrosse players at Duke feel the same way.

[knuthom]

From the article linked at #12:

Some of the 10 youths - nine girls and one boy ranging in age from 12 to 17 - were found wearing the victim's earrings - which were ripped from their flesh - and had Lauren's cell phone.

How do the parents explain this?

[Antonello]

Some of the 10 youths - nine girls and one boy ranging in age from 12 to 17 - were found wearing the victim's earrings - which were ripped from their flesh - and had Lauren's cell phone.

How do the parents explain this?

They don't - and you're a racist for mentioning it! /sarc

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

"This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said"

MLK prayed for the day when his "little children" would be judged on the "content of their character rather the color of their skin." The character of these "little children" was so lacking that they assaulted someone based on the color of their skin, for amusement value, and in order to steal their jewelry. Lets hope that his prayer is answered and we see some hard jail time.

[Frank_2001]

Well, uh, maybe the WIND blew the earrings off. That's the ticket-high winds! (Due to climate change caused by greedy white people;)

[peeps36]

Why are these women in such a panic if they know their kids are innocent? I think she knows they did it and the jury has enough evidence to convict them of the crime.Mom wants to rile up the black community and create another Rodney King/OJ Simpleton style riot.

[bannie]

Weren't these thugs CAUGHT beating the girl?

[L98Fiero]

Agreed.

[Darnright]

>Some of the 10 youths - nine girls and one boy ranging in age from 12 to 17 - were found wearing the victim's earrings - which were ripped from their flesh - and had Lauren's cell phone.

How do the parents explain this?<

Don't you meanies touch mah behbehs!! They wouldn't hurt a flea, I tell you!

[Thumper1960]

Whining that their babies are being accused of anything while the Crackers probably deserved it.

Maybe King was too good for these mopes.

[John Williams]

"This just made me realize how so very, very far we are from fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King's dream" of equality for all, she said."

---

And I presume that equality would be letting these kids off the hook for brutally beating this girl because they were just venting off their frustrations with the racist state of society?


N*gga please.

[Godwin1]

Savage, ignorant, racist parents raise savage, ignorant, racist children.

[daybreakcoming]

"My kids are innocent," said Cherralle Hargison, the mother of four of the youths on trial.

My gawd - you vile creature - you don't know the meaning of innocent. Nor do your four snakes. And I don't care what color you are. The white on white girl violence video making the rounds now is just as sickening to decent people.

/Rant over.
Back to presumed innocent and rule of law.

[Clintonfatigued]

Well, they are presumed innocent until the jury reaches a verdict. So all involved (including the parents mentioned in the article) should let the process work itself out.