Tuesday, May 13, 2003

Thug Watch

In West Hollywood:

Two Iranian men who allegedly attacked two men they believed were Jewish outside a West Hollywood nightclub pleaded no contest to a hate crime charge, authorities said.

Daoud Mohammad Majid, 19, and Mohammed Hassan Aref, 22, of Los Angeles, The men pleaded no contest Monday to a hate-crime attack in a Beverly Hills courtroom, without the original bodily injury component that prosecutors had sought.

They faced as much as eight years in state prison if they had been convicted of the original charges of committing an assault likely to cause great bodily injury enhanced by a hate-crime allegation, said Scott Millington, head of the district attorney's hate-crimes unit.

Majid was put on three years' probation and ordered to receive tolerance counseling, go to the Museum of Tolerance, perform community service and make restitution to the victims, Millington said.

The same conditions were imposed on Aref, but his sentencing was postponed. He was ordered back to court on Nov. 3.

Authorities said Majid, Aref allegedly chanted "Kill the Jews" as they kicked the two victims on the ground. The Sept. 15 incident followed a "Persian night" promotion at a nightclub.