Beating a satanist = hate crime - GoFuckYourself.com

Rictor · 01-13-2005, 02:54 PM

January 12, 2005
Beating of Queens Satanist Prompts Hate Crime Charges
By COREY KILGANNON

ver since he was 12, Daniel Romano has cut a noticeable figure around Middle Village, a working class part of Queens. Mr. Romano, 20, who calls himself a Satanist, stands out, with his blue-tinted bouffant hairdo, his black clothing and fingernails, and the prominent crucifix, worn upside down.

Mr. Romano has long been teased for dressing like a "gothic kid" or simply a "goth," in a community with small homes, neat lawns and populated with many Roman Catholics.

But in recent weeks, two local teenagers began fixating on Mr. Romano, calling him names including "Satan worshiper," "baby sacrificer" and "hooker killer," the authorities say. On Sunday the verbal harassment turned into violence.

Mr. Romano, while walking on 72nd Street in Maspeth, was attacked by the two teenagers, the authorities say. Yesterday the Queens district attorney, Richard A. Brown, announced that the young men, Paul C. Rotondi and Frank M. Scarpinito, both 18 and from Middle Village, would be charged with hate crimes, which carry harsher penalties and are usually leveled when an attack involves a victim's ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

Prosecutors say they attacked Mr. Romano because of his religious beliefs: They thought he worshiped Satan. They were arraigned yesterday on charges of second-degree assault as a hate crime, possession of a weapon and aggravated harassment. The charges could carry prison terms of up to 15 years.

About 2 p.m. on Sunday, prosecutors say, the teenagers pulled up in a car and one yelled to Mr. Romano, "Hey, Satan!"

The authorities said that both defendants then attacked Mr. Romano - Mr. Rotondi using a metal club, and Mr. Scarpinito wielding an ice scraper. Mr. Romano was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he received 12 stitches. On Monday, he filed a complaint with police officers, who arrested the two youths.

At their arraignment yesterday, prosecutors asked that they be held in $75,000 bail, but a judge set it at $5,000 and they were released. An assistant district attorney, George J. Farrugia, said the defendants believed that Mr. Romano worshiped Satan and "over the last month and a half, they have had it in for this kid, and have been abusive."

Mr. Scarpinito's lawyer, Richard Leff, called the charges "an abuse of the hate crime status," and said his client had never been in trouble. Mr. Rotondi's lawyer, Sean A. McNicholas, said prosecutors were calling this a hate crime because of "politics and press."

"The kid is gothic with blue hair: He falls into a category of kid," Mr. McNicholas said. "At worst, this is a simple dispute between kids, not an attack on a minority."

"If the accusation was that he was black or Asian or Latino or Jewish, it's one thing," he said. "They see this as a religious practice. It's a dispute between kids, the same way you have the nerds, the jocks, the artsy kids and the teacher's pets. What's next? Someone being accused of attacking a preppie, or a nerd?"

In an interview last night at his apartment, which he shares with his mother, Mr. Romano said that he was raised Catholic but is now a Satanist. A hard rock musician, he attended Talent Unlimited High School in Manhattan and leads a band.

Mr. Romano said he was working at a bagel store last summer when Mr. Scarpinito, who worked next door at a hardware store, began making fun of him.

"My allegiance is to Satan and I hate Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but I don't hurt anyone," Mr. Romano said. "I take out my anger in mosh pits and S-and-M clubs. I think it's ironic that the Christians got violent with the Satanist."

His mother, Debbie Romano, 48, said, "I'm a Christian, but he went the other way; I don't understand his beliefs, but he doesn't hurt nobody."

Michael Wilson contributed reporting for this article.

flashfire · 01-13-2005, 02:55 PM

by the letter of the law I guess it is a hate crime

Manowar · 01-13-2005, 02:57 PM

They deserve it, he didnt do anything to them, so why should they start shit because he's different ?

candyflip · 01-13-2005, 02:59 PM

Sounds like a good example of a hate crime to me.

jt420 · 01-13-2005, 03:00 PM

there is some irony in this story that the satanist is the one being the victim. oh well the streets will flow with the blood of the innocent and the dark god will reign again... j/k

BlackCrayon · 01-13-2005, 03:10 PM

the idea of 'hate crime laws' are hypocritical. you are basically saying that these ppl are different and should be treated differently than anyone else. who cares if he was beat up for being a satanist or for eating someones last twix bar. the point is, he was beat which is just as much a crime no matter who you are.

Rictor · 01-13-2005, 03:56 PM

I love the fact that this law is being used to protect satanists. It's gotta really piss off the people that got the law passed in the first place.

Rantan · 01-13-2005, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

the idea of 'hate crime laws' are hypocritical. you are basically saying that these ppl are different and should be treated differently than anyone else. who cares if he was beat up for being a satanist or for eating someones last twix bar. the point is, he was beat which is just as much a crime no matter who you are.

agree, isn't that the whole point of hurting someone? Because you 'hate' them, if only temporally. seems kinda funny that it's not a hate crime if hill billy 1 kills hill billy 2, but if both hill billys lynch a black guy..THEN..it's a hate crime..eh...

BTW, who cares if he's a satanist, i'v never seen a Devils bible, some goth dumbass made it his spare time, there doesn't seem to be any real gospel in the 'satatinst' religon, seems all made up to me.

01-13-2005, 02:54 PM	#1
Rictor Old Timer Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 12,208	Beating a satanist = hate crime January 12, 2005 Beating of Queens Satanist Prompts Hate Crime Charges By COREY KILGANNON ver since he was 12, Daniel Romano has cut a noticeable figure around Middle Village, a working class part of Queens. Mr. Romano, 20, who calls himself a Satanist, stands out, with his blue-tinted bouffant hairdo, his black clothing and fingernails, and the prominent crucifix, worn upside down. Mr. Romano has long been teased for dressing like a "gothic kid" or simply a "goth," in a community with small homes, neat lawns and populated with many Roman Catholics. But in recent weeks, two local teenagers began fixating on Mr. Romano, calling him names including "Satan worshiper," "baby sacrificer" and "hooker killer," the authorities say. On Sunday the verbal harassment turned into violence. Mr. Romano, while walking on 72nd Street in Maspeth, was attacked by the two teenagers, the authorities say. Yesterday the Queens district attorney, Richard A. Brown, announced that the young men, Paul C. Rotondi and Frank M. Scarpinito, both 18 and from Middle Village, would be charged with hate crimes, which carry harsher penalties and are usually leveled when an attack involves a victim's ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. Prosecutors say they attacked Mr. Romano because of his religious beliefs: They thought he worshiped Satan. They were arraigned yesterday on charges of second-degree assault as a hate crime, possession of a weapon and aggravated harassment. The charges could carry prison terms of up to 15 years. About 2 p.m. on Sunday, prosecutors say, the teenagers pulled up in a car and one yelled to Mr. Romano, "Hey, Satan!" The authorities said that both defendants then attacked Mr. Romano - Mr. Rotondi using a metal club, and Mr. Scarpinito wielding an ice scraper. Mr. Romano was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he received 12 stitches. On Monday, he filed a complaint with police officers, who arrested the two youths. At their arraignment yesterday, prosecutors asked that they be held in $75,000 bail, but a judge set it at $5,000 and they were released. An assistant district attorney, George J. Farrugia, said the defendants believed that Mr. Romano worshiped Satan and "over the last month and a half, they have had it in for this kid, and have been abusive." Mr. Scarpinito's lawyer, Richard Leff, called the charges "an abuse of the hate crime status," and said his client had never been in trouble. Mr. Rotondi's lawyer, Sean A. McNicholas, said prosecutors were calling this a hate crime because of "politics and press." "The kid is gothic with blue hair: He falls into a category of kid," Mr. McNicholas said. "At worst, this is a simple dispute between kids, not an attack on a minority." "If the accusation was that he was black or Asian or Latino or Jewish, it's one thing," he said. "They see this as a religious practice. It's a dispute between kids, the same way you have the nerds, the jocks, the artsy kids and the teacher's pets. What's next? Someone being accused of attacking a preppie, or a nerd?" In an interview last night at his apartment, which he shares with his mother, Mr. Romano said that he was raised Catholic but is now a Satanist. A hard rock musician, he attended Talent Unlimited High School in Manhattan and leads a band. Mr. Romano said he was working at a bagel store last summer when Mr. Scarpinito, who worked next door at a hardware store, began making fun of him. "My allegiance is to Satan and I hate Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but I don't hurt anyone," Mr. Romano said. "I take out my anger in mosh pits and S-and-M clubs. I think it's ironic that the Christians got violent with the Satanist." His mother, Debbie Romano, 48, said, "I'm a Christian, but he went the other way; I don't understand his beliefs, but he doesn't hurt nobody." Michael Wilson contributed reporting for this article.

01-13-2005, 02:59 PM	#4
candyflip Carpe Visio Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: New York Posts: 43,064	Sounds like a good example of a hate crime to me. __________________ Spend you some brain. Email Me

01-13-2005, 03:00 PM	#5
jt420 Confirmed User Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in the foothills of the mind. ICQ: 279561428 Posts: 2,479	there is some irony in this story that the satanist is the one being the victim. oh well the streets will flow with the blood of the innocent and the dark god will reign again... j/k __________________ I made my fortune selling pubic wigs! New program Merkin Money coming soon!

01-13-2005, 03:10 PM	#6
BlackCrayon Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Ottawa Posts: 19,631	the idea of 'hate crime laws' are hypocritical. you are basically saying that these ppl are different and should be treated differently than anyone else. who cares if he was beat up for being a satanist or for eating someones last twix bar. the point is, he was beat which is just as much a crime no matter who you are. __________________ you don't know you're wearing a leash if you sit by the peg all day..

01-13-2005, 02:55 PM	#2
flashfire ICQ 1 6 7 8 5 3 4 9 2 Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 13,098	by the letter of the law I guess it is a hate crime

01-13-2005, 02:57 PM	#3
Manowar jellyfish Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 71,528	They deserve it, he didnt do anything to them, so why should they start shit because he's different ?

01-13-2005, 03:56 PM	#7
Rictor Old Timer Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 12,208	I love the fact that this law is being used to protect satanists. It's gotta really piss off the people that got the law passed in the first place.