Teen Charged In Vicious Gay Beating Sent For Psych

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Teen Charged In Vicious Gay Beating Sent For Psych Exam

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: August 24, 2005 7:00 pm ET

(Santa Fe, New Mexico) A 17 year old who pleaded guilty this week to his part in the beating of two gay men in Santa Fe last February has been sent for 15-day psychiatric exam.

District Judge Michael Vigil ordered the psych evaluation before he passes sentence on David Trinidad.

Trinidad pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated battery, battery, conspiracy and criminal damage to property. He already has been sentenced to a two-year commitment for violating probation stemming from his raping a 4-year-old boy.

Vigil could sentence Trinidad as a juvenile - meaning he would be placed in a young offenders facility until his 21st birthday - or he could give him probation or sentence him as an adult to a term up to seven-and-a-half years in prison.

Trinidad was the only juvenile of the six defendants in the Feb. 27 beating of James Maestas, 21, and his friend Joshua Stockham, 23.

Maestas and Stockham, of Albuquerque, had just finished lunch with several female friends at a Santa Fe restaurant and had gone outside for a smoke when five men drove into the parking lot. The men attempted to talk up the girls and at some point got into an argument with Maestas and Stockham.

Police said that the argument escalated with one of the men calling Maestas and Stockham "faggots" and trying to provoke a fight.

Stockham, Maestas and the females got into a car and began driving away. The men then began throwing rocks at the car according to police.

Trinidad, who had waited on them in the restaurant, was just finishing work and came outside. Police said that Trinidad knew the five men and joined in the rock throwing.

Trinidad, according to police statement learned that Maestas and Stockham were staying at nearby hotel while he was serving them.

He told investigators that he and the five men followed the group to the hotel and along the way they "pumped" themselves up by talking about "f****** those faggots up". The statement also quotes Trinidad as telling investigators that they referred to Stockham and Maestas as "f****** white boys."

They arrived at the hotel just behind Stockham and Maestas and began beating the pair while yelling anti-gay epithets.

Maestas fell to the ground unconscious. Stockham was treated at hospital and released.

Maestas received a concussion and broken nose, aspirated on his own blood and suffered other injuries. He has had to undergo extensive physical and speech therapy, and is expected to suffer from the effects of the beating for the rest of his life.

Also charged in the case are Isaia Medina, 19, Gabriel Maturin, 20, Paul Montoya, 20, Joseph Cano, 19, and Jonathan Valdez, 23. Prosecutors have offered pleas to at least four of the men, though none have appeared in court to officially accept or decline the offers.

©365Gay.com 2005

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