quote:

Four Men Plead Guilty in an Antigay Attack

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 22, 2007

Four young men pleaded guilty yesterday in the beating of a Manhattan singer who was subjected to antigay slurs as he was attacked.

The four — Akino George, 21, Gregory Archie, 19, Jarell Sears, 21, and Gerard Johnson, 17 — admitted that they chased and beat the singer, Kevin Aviance, on East 13th Street early on June 10.

The attackers threw two garbage bags and a paint can at Mr. Aviance, 39, then beat him and broke his jaw.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg denounced the attack as “a disgrace.”

The defendants entered their pleas in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Mr. Johnson, of Manhattan, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault as a hate crime in exchange for a sentence of 15 years in prison and five years of postrelease supervision.

Mr. George, of the Bronx, and Mr. Sears, of Newark, pleaded guilty to first-degree gang assault and will receive prison terms of eight years, with five years of postrelease supervision.

Mr. Archie, of Manhattan, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault as a hate crime and was promised a sentence of six years in prison and three years of postrelease supervision.