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Thursday September 11, 1997

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Boys charged with assault on teen perceived as gay

AUGUSTA - City police charged four boys Tuesday night with assault after they allegeclly taunted and spit at a 15-year-old Cony High School student they believed to be gay.

In addition to the assault charges, the four boys also were served harassment notices that prohibit them from having any contact with the victim.

The case has been referred to the Civl Rights Unit of the Attorney General's Office.

The four Augusta boys, ages 11, 12 and 13, confronted the older boy Sept. 4 at a school bus stop on Washington Street. Police said the boys called him names and taunted him because of his perceived sexual orientation.

The boy apparently has become a target because he is different, Lt. Dennis Passmore said Wednesday. The same boy was chased, beaten and robbed by a group of self-styled gang members in May as part of a gang initiation.

"He's a lad who tries to get along with people and mind his own business," Passmore said.

Simply calling the boy names would not have been a police matter. said Passmore.

"You have got a fine line between what is considered freedom of speech and what is a civil rights violation," said Passmore. "Where they went over the line is when they spit on him."

In the May incident, several teenagers followed the boy as he walked from the high school to his home, according to court documents.

The boy tried to escape by climbing the outside staircase of an apartment building, banging on doors for help, but was trapped on the third floor.

A 15-year-old then punched and kicked him and held him against the railing of the staircase, before the assault was interrupted by a tenant of the building, according to documents.