New York, March 8 (IANS) A teenage boy of Pakistani origin has been held guilty by a Queens Supreme Court jury of committing a hate crime by cutting off a Sikh boy’s hair by force. Umair Ahmed was held guilty Friday of hate crimes, harassment and possession of a deadly weapon.
The trial stemmed from an incident last May when the victim, Harpal Singh Vacher, then 15, was a high school student in Queens borough. Ahmed, then 17, was also a student in the same school.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown observed: “The defendant has been convicted of a serious attack on the fundamental beliefs of the victim’s religion and his freedom to worship freely. Crimes of hate will never be tolerated here in Queens County - in particular the most culturally diverse county in the nation.”
Unshorn hair is one of the five articles of faith for Sikhs.
Depending on whether Ahmed is treated as a youthful offender or as an adult, he could face up to four years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 11, a press release by United Sikhs, an advocacy group, said.
Jaspreet Singh, staff attorney for United Sikhs, commented: “We are thankful that the perpetrator has been convicted, and that the jurors recognised that this was not a simple incident of hair cutting; freedom of religious practice must be preserved.”
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Don’t know how long he will spend in prison, but his future job prospects are destroyed.
And he will definitely be raped by bubba in prison.
Nah; a teenager fight is usually an after school fistfight.
This involved waiting for the victim, preparing for the crime by getting scissors and then actually doing the crime.
In reverse, it would be the same if a person waited for a muslim and then force fed him pork or made him burn the Koran....
New York, March 8 (IANS) A teenage boy of Pakistani origin has been held guilty by a Queens Supreme Court jury of committing a hate crime by cutting off a Sikh boy’s hair by force. Umair Ahmed was held guilty Friday of hate crimes, harassment and possession of a deadly weapon.
The trial stemmed from an incident last May when the victim, Harpal Singh Vacher, then 15, was a high school student in Queens borough. Ahmed, then 17, was also a student in the same school.
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown observed: “The defendant has been convicted of a serious attack on the fundamental beliefs of the victim’s religion and his freedom to worship freely. Crimes of hate will never be tolerated here in Queens County - in particular the most culturally diverse county in the nation.”
Unshorn hair is one of the five articles of faith for Sikhs.
Depending on whether Ahmed is treated as a youthful offender or as an adult, he could face up to four years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced April 11, a press release by United Sikhs, an advocacy group, said.
Jaspreet Singh, staff attorney for United Sikhs, commented: “We are thankful that the perpetrator has been convicted, and that the jurors recognised that this was not a simple incident of hair cutting; freedom of religious practice must be preserved.”
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Don't know how long he will spend in prison, but his future job prospects are destroyed.
And he will definitely be raped by bubba in prison.
As long as Justice is served. We must all learn to accept and respect others beliefs, even when we ourselves don't think much of them. Respect for all.
