Teenagers who toppled 500 headstones "did not even know they were in a Jewish cemetery"

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The four teenagers accused of toppling nearly 500 headstones at Poile Zedek Cemetery will not face additional hate-crime charges, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday.

Rather than being motivated by bias, the desecration of the Joyce Kilmer Avenue burial ground early this month was "the product of alcohol, teenage boredom and infantile enjoyment," according to a statement released by Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan following a three-week investigation into the vandalism.

...

The teenagers, city residents aged 15 through 17 who live within walking distance of the cemetery, are accused of knocking over headstones in two waves of vandalism at the cemetery, which is used by two area synagogues, Congregation Poile Zedek in the city and Congregation Etz Ahaim in Highland Park.

While the initial joint investigation by the prosecutor's office, city police and the Bias Crime Unit of the state Attorney General's Office classified the desecration as a bias incident, Kaplan said that there is no evidence to conclusively prove that the youths had acted out of religious animosity or anti-Semitism.

In ruling out bias, the prosecutor's office determined that neither the juveniles nor their immediate family members had any affiliation with gangs or hate groups. The lack of graffiti or other markings at the cemetery also helped rule out a hate component, Kaplan wrote.

"Striking to investigators was the degree of ignorance or obliviousness displayed by the juveniles," Kaplan said in the release. "It became apparent during the investigation that the juveniles did not know, understand or care about the religious symbols on the gates and headstones at Poile Zedek. . . . They did not even know that they were in a Jewish cemetery."

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?.../801300466/1001

[Peikko 1,575]

Alcohol should be made illegal. Clearly, it's turning the youth of the nation into morons.

[Mags 112]

I think they were probably already morons, the alcohol just added fuel to the fire.

[Sister Fracas 5]

oh dear....not only delinquents, but ignorant ones at that... I guess I'd prefer them over intelligent delinquents... hmmm

Edited January 30, 2008 by Sister Fracas

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Alcohol should be made illegal. Clearly, it's turning the youth of the nation into morons.

I agree. We need to bring back Prohibition!

[almaty 19]

The four teenagers accused of toppling nearly 500 headstones at Poile Zedek Cemetery will not face additional hate-crime charges, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office said Tuesday.

Rather than being motivated by bias, the desecration of the Joyce Kilmer Avenue burial ground early this month was "the product of alcohol, teenage boredom and infantile enjoyment," according to a statement released by Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan following a three-week investigation into the vandalism.

...

The teenagers, city residents aged 15 through 17 who live within walking distance of the cemetery, are accused of knocking over headstones in two waves of vandalism at the cemetery, which is used by two area synagogues, Congregation Poile Zedek in the city and Congregation Etz Ahaim in Highland Park.

While the initial joint investigation by the prosecutor's office, city police and the Bias Crime Unit of the state Attorney General's Office classified the desecration as a bias incident, Kaplan said that there is no evidence to conclusively prove that the youths had acted out of religious animosity or anti-Semitism.

In ruling out bias, the prosecutor's office determined that neither the juveniles nor their immediate family members had any affiliation with gangs or hate groups. The lack of graffiti or other markings at the cemetery also helped rule out a hate component, Kaplan wrote.

"Striking to investigators was the degree of ignorance or obliviousness displayed by the juveniles," Kaplan said in the release. "It became apparent during the investigation that the juveniles did not know, understand or care about the religious symbols on the gates and headstones at Poile Zedek. . . . They did not even know that they were in a Jewish cemetery."

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?.../801300466/1001

waiting for a comment that they were probably either muslim youths or illegal kids

[Mags 112]

Alcohol should be made illegal. Clearly, it's turning the youth of the nation into morons.

I agree. We need to bring back Prohibition!

Why has no one else thought of that I wonder...

[Sister Fracas 5]

waiting for a comment that they were probably either muslim youths or illegal kids

hang on...I feel it coming soon...

[gwenneh 7]

waiting for a comment that they were probably either muslim youths or illegal kids

In New Brunswick, definitely the latter.

(there, I made it)

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

waiting for a comment that they were probably either muslim youths or illegal kids

In New Brunswick, definitely the latter.

(there, I made it)

I was gonna say... no one speaks any English in that neighborhood.

[almaty 19]

waiting for a comment that they were probably either muslim youths or illegal kids

In New Brunswick, definitely the latter.

(there, I made it)

I was gonna say... no one speaks any English in that neighborhood.

thanks sister gwen and brother arijit..you ahve started the ball rolling

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Does it even matter if it was a Jewish cementary. That it was a cemetary at all is heinous enough... you shouldn't lose extra points simply because Jewish people were buried there.

Its a terrible thing to do in a cemetary regardless of who or what people are buried there...

[Heracles 417]

Wish we had Singapore's laws and justice system. These same clowns would become boy scouts over night.

Teenagers must really think adults are dumb. Then again it does not surprise me as it all comes back to upbringing. I have seen kids walk all over their parents like they are a piece of dirt.

[almaty 19]

i agree on some points boo-yah..i have witnessed in therapy session where the youngsters are running the family..in fact, one kid told me once, his mom bought him crack to get him to come to the session...she denied that...but i reported it anyway

[Heracles 417]

i agree on some points boo-yah..i have witnessed in therapy session where the youngsters are running the family..in fact, one kid told me once, his mom bought him crack to get him to come to the session...she denied that...but i reported it anyway

I remember seeing some teenager on a doco telling her dad off about him discussing her net usage. #### I would have thrown the PC out the window and told the little ###### to use it now.