RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (1010 WINS) -- To the Rev. Al Sharpton, the recent prosecution of a deadly shooting outside a suburban home was a study in racial injustice.
A black man was convicted of manslaughter for shooting a white teenager who had shown up at the man's home with a group of angry white friends. The teens, who were unarmed, were not prosecuted.
1010 WINS AUDIO: Sonia Rincon reports on the verdict (Dec 23, 2007)
The civil rights activist planned a march Saturday, outside the Long Island courthouse where the case was tried, to protest what he sees as prosecutors' one-sided approach.
He has described the teenagers as a "mob" that threatened the man, John White, who has said he saw echoes of lynch mobs in the group that converged on his home on Aug. 9, 2006.
"The lack of prosecution says the mob is all right," Sharpton told Newsday when he announced plans for the march last month.
A spokesman for Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota declined to comment when the march was announced.
Sharpton's office said White, who is free on bail until sentencing, planned to join in the protest. He faces a potential prison term of five to 15 years. He has said he will appeal.
White has said he was trying to protect his home and family when he grabbed a gun and went to face the teens outside his home in predominantly white Miller Place.
The conflict had begun with a bogus MySpace posting claiming White's 19-year-old son, Aaron, wanted to rape a female friend of one of the white teens, Daniel Cicciaro Jr. After Aaron White was asked to leave a party because of the online hoax, Cicciaro and his friends exchanged racially loaded threats with him via cell phone. They continued to trade epithets and profanities after the white teens arrived at the Whites' home shortly after 11 p.m.
John White claimed the gun fired accidentally when Cicciaro lunged for it, killing the 17-year-old. Prosecutors argued that White was rash to confront the teens, rather than locking the door and calling police.
Jurors found White guilty after deliberating for 12 hours on a Saturday three days before Christmas. They had told a judge they were deadlocked; the judge told them to keep talking and indicated she would schedule a deliberation session the next day if needed.
Two jurors subsequently said they were leaning toward acquitting White but changed their votes under pressure from other jurors. White's attorneys have said they were considering asking a court to set aside the verdict because of the allegations.
The jury forewoman has said the jury did its job carefully and conscientiously.
TOP PHOTO: John White during his trial at the Riverhead courthouse.
Get More Long Island News: NYC Boroughs & 'Burbs
E-Mail Story
Print Story
