/ Source: The Associated Press
Nine black youths were convicted Friday in juvenile court of beating three white women in a racially charged attack on Halloween night.
The youths, ranging from 12 to 18 years old, could receive sentences from probation to confinement in juvenile prison until age 25. All were charged with felony assault. The judge found some of them guilty of hate crimes.
The attack occurred in an upscale area of the city known for its elaborate Halloween decorations.
Long Beach, 22 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, is a major cargo port with a racially diverse population of 475,000.
The judge scheduled a Jan. 31 hearing to decide on punishments.
