An attorney for one of two men facing hate crime charges in an assault on a Mastic high school student that involved anti-gay comments says his client was not motivated by bias.
Attorney Jamie Rosner said after the arraignment of 21-year-old Justin Higgins Wednesday that the skirmish involved a dispute concerning Higgins’ sister. He says the girl had been picked on by the victim in the alleged assault.
Police say Higgins and 19-year-old Nashon Minter entered William Floyd High School on Tuesday morning and chased the student and assaulted him while making anti-gay comments. Prosecutors say the victim’s eye was injured.
Both men were ordered held on $50,000 bail after pleading not guilty. Minter was represented by Legal Aid, which does not comment on pending cases.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.
