Three Staten Island, NY Men Indicted on Federal Hate Crime Conspiracy Charges

The U.S. Department of Justice reports in its press release (quotation, not an independent finding): “WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging three Staten Island, N.Y., men with conspiring to assault African-Americans in retaliation for President-Elect Barack Obama’s election victory. Ralph Nicoletti and Michael Contreras, both 18, and Brian Carranza, 21, were arrested late Tuesday and are scheduled for arraignment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann in Brooklyn. As alleged in the indictment and other court filings, on the night of Nov. 4, 2008, shortly after learning of Barack Obama’s election victory, the group, along with a fourth friend, decided to find African-Americans to assault. "It is shocking and sobering that allegations of racial violence continue in this day and age," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Grace Chung Becker. "The Justice Department takes these allegations very seriously and the Civil Rights Division, working with U.S. Attorneys Offices across the country, will continue to use federal laws to prosecute individuals who conspire to commit such acts of violence and intimidation." As cited in the indictment and other court filings, Nicoletti allegedly drove the other defendants to Park Hill, a predominantly African-American neighborhood in Staten Island, where they came upon a 17-year-old African-American who was walking home after watching the election at a friend’s house. One of the defendants yelled "Obama!" as they passed the youth, and all four men then got out of the car and beat him, using a metal pipe and a collapsible police baton. The young man, who managed to escape and”