Hate Crime on Grand Island continued

"Hate Crime on Grand Island" continued:

Two of the arrested teenagers were older than sixteen years old. They were arraigned as adults, Wednesday (Nov.1), at 7:00pm in Grand Island Town Court. The highest count against them is a "class E felony" (because of recent hate-crime legislation) according to Erie County District Attorney Frank Clark, in a Thursday interview with Grand Island E-News.

The 13 and 15 year old who were arrested are "not criminally responsible" under New York State Law for their crimes. They were released to the custody of their parents, and "petitioned to Family Court". Younger teens can only be charged as adults for "class 1 felony" homicide, rape, assault, or robbery according to Clark.

The alleged crime is related to many incidents in the Duplex - Falconwood area according to area residents. On Wednesday (October 25th) more than 80 residents met with government officials demanding action for youth related crime. They presented the town with a 780 signature petition for a curfew. See "Victims" story in the Oct.28, edition at the bottom of the home page.

One member of the community, Kandice Marcell, reported to Grand Island-E News that teenagers accosted her fiancee in her front yard on Wednesday evening (Nov.1). She feels that they are part of the same group that perpetrated the hate crime in her neighborhood. The same teens have held her nine year old son by his ankles above the Parkway on the pedestrian bridge earlier this year according to Marcell. She feels that the police and courts are not doing enough to protect her family's safety and property.

On Thursday, teens interviewed in the Rose Plaza parking lot (on Love Rd.) felt that they are being judged too harshly; that police and adults in the area are over reacting.

For more information about crime in our area contact the Sheriff’s website at http://www.erie.gov/sheriff.