Teen Girls Face Hate Crime Charges Over Anti-Gay FlierWednesday, May 23, 2007
WOODSTOCK, Ill. — A pair of 16-year-old girls face hate crime charges after they allegedly handed out anti-gay fliers targeting a classmate at their northern Illinois high school.
The girls were arrested May 11 after handing out fliers in the parking lot of Crystal Lake South High School that depict a male student kissing another boy and contain hateful language about gays.
Officials say the fliers targeted a male classmate, who is also a neighbor of the girls. The two girls had apparently been feuding with the boy.
Earlier today, a judge rejected bond for one of the girls, citing her home environment and already lengthy juvenile record — 13 run-ins with the cops. Instead of home detention, the girl will be held at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center while the case is pending, according to the Daily Herald.
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Within the past year, the girl has been charged for marijuana possession, driving without a license, consumption of alcohol by a minor, possession of tobacco by a minor, trespassing and three curfew violations, according to McHenry County court records.
The second girl was allowed home detention. She will be electronically monitored and will be allowed to leave her home only for school, counseling, work or other activities approved by her probation officer.
Two separate trials are to be held — the first girl's trial is set to begin next week while the second girl's trial could be far off. Her lawyer has filed to dismiss the charges.
“I believe it more attacks the speech, and at this point, they haven’t shown what conduct was truly disorderly,” her attorney, Charles McKenney, told the Herald. “The issue should be her conduct, not the content of the flier.
If found guilty, the girls could face up to 30 days in juvenile detention, probation or an unspecified sentence with the Illinois Department of Corrections' youth division.
Both girls have been suspended from school as a result, authorities said Tuesday, and likely will not be allowed back until at least the next school year.
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