Parents want cops charged with hate crime after stripping teen

David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Friday November 16, 2007



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The parents of a black New York City teenager who was picked up by two police offiers on Halloween for throwing eggs at cars are asking for the officers to be charged with a hate crime.

When one of the eggs hit a police car, 14-year-old Rayshawn Moreno was taken into custody, driven to a remote, swampy area of Staten Island, forced to strip down to his boxer shorts and socks, and left there alone.

"He's been stripped of his dignity, his civil rights," said Rayshawn's mother, Telisa Hazel.

The police officers, who say they were just trying to teach the boy a lesson, now face misdemeanor charges of unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child. However, Rayshawn's parents say that's not enough and have asked for the district attorney to investigate whether there are grounds for bringing a felony hate crime charge as well, claiming that the officers, who are white, used a racial epithet to their son.

Staten Island Live has more details HERE.

The following video is from CBS 2 News, broadcast on November 14, 2007.







