Had to flee or 'I might be dead,' victim says of racial attack

[marmar]

By Ryan Haggerty, Jeremy Gorner and Kate Thayer Tribune reporters
4:00 a.m. CST, January 27, 2012


Joshua Merritt said he had no reason to be suspicious when one of his friends texted him, asking him to hang out with two other teenagers they both knew.

But after Merritt, 17, arrived at the home of one of the boys in Chicago’s East Beverly neighborhood Dec. 23, he realized his friends weren’t simply looking to have a good time.

The three teens, who are white, allegedly put a noose around the neck of Merritt, who is black, and hurled racial epithets at him before one of the boys held a knife to his throat and threatened to kill him, police and Merritt said Thursday.

The teens were apparently upset about Merritt’s relationship with one of the boys’ female cousins, police said. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-3-teens-charged-in-alleged-racial-christmas-eve-attack-20120126,0,1748759.story

[barbtries]

1. this story makes me so sad.

it's 2012 already.

[Citizen Worker]

2. It all began in 1492.

[live love laugh]

3. Wow...I live very close to Beverly. It's not known to be a racist area. Shocking. nt