Long Island addresses serious hate crime concerns

Long Islander Jeffrey Conroy was put on trial for the death of 37-year-old Marcelo Lucero. Lucero, an Ecuadorian native, was stabbed in the chest on November 8^th 2008.

CNN.com reports Jurors convicted Conroy with manslaughter as a hate crime for the death of Lucero. Conroy however was not convicted with murder as a hate crime, a more serious charge. In addition to manslaughter Conroy was also charged with gang assault and conspiracy against three other Latino men in Long Island.

According to prosecutors, Conroy along with six of his friends assaulted Latinos in an event they referred to as “beaner-hopping.” According to CNN.com four out of these seven defendants plead guilty to different charges.

Walter Sinche, an executive director of the international Ecuadorian Alliance thinks Long Island should’ve been stricter with hate crimes.

"What Long Island is doing is sending the wrong message to the country," Sinche said. "These crimes have to stop and they have the power to do it, and they didn't do it."

In a report from the Southern Poverty Law center it was found that the Latino population in Suffolk county has long faced a hostile and unfriendly environment. Part of which is believed to have gone on for ten years due to anti-immigrant groups and a lack of concern on behalf of police.

According to the report low-level harassment of Latinos in Suffolk County is common, and incidents involving taunting, and physical abuse were common.

The report also mentions Latinos being run off the road while on bikes, and being beaten with baseball bats.

While Latino government officials and group spokespersons express they are not completely satisfied with the conviction, they are also urging the Latino community in Long Island to contact authorities for help.

"The verdict this jury announced will forever be a part of the legacy of Marcelo Lucero and that legacy is simply that the law protects everyone, no matter who they are, where they came from, what language they speak, and no matter what their immigration status may be," said Thomas J. Spota, Suffolk County District Attorney.

To read more on this story please visit CNN.com

Syracuse man takes shotgun to the day care center

After being caught with a shotgun behind a day care center in January, 21-year old Avrum McAlpine was sentenced to three and a half years in state prison today. McAlpine, Syracuse resident of 344 Warner Ave, plead guilty to criminal possession of a weapon, a crime that could have landed him up to 15 years in prison.

Police officers responded to a cell on Cannon Street where they found McAlpine with a 20-guage shotgun attempting to climb through a hole in the fence behind Lydia’s Day Care. McAlpine claimed he found the shotgun at the Day Care Center and fired to see if it worked. Authorities however found a shotgun shell in McAlpine’s back pocket.

According to Syracuse.com, Judge Aloi notices McApline telling probation officials he made a mistake and was sorry.

Larry King and wife Shawn Southwick may not split after all

People.com reports that Larry King may be calling off his divorce with wife number seven Shawn Southwick.

King and his wife were seen walking with arms linked on Sunday at their son’s baseball game in Los Angeles. The couple was also seen at a previous game one day after both filed for divorce.

The couple has been married for around 12 ½ years and, according to King’s lawyer Dennis Wasser, the odds are split that this pair will remain together.

"There's a 50-50 chance this divorce is not happening," King's lawyer Dennis Wasser told People. "His focus is on the best interest of his children. It's not clear to me which way he's going to turn on this issue," said Wasser.