Plea for help to find hate-crime suspects

The Anti-Defamation League announced today it is funding a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of more suspects in an Oct. 15 assault that is being prosecuted as a hate crime.

The announcement came today in a news conference on the steps of the San Francisco Hall of Justice, just after a hearing in which a hate crime enhancement was added to the four felony and two misdemeanor charges faced by defendant Andrew Crawford, 24.

According to San Francisco police Inspector Julian Hill, the two victims of the crime, Cameron Matthews and J.F., both 23, were placing their order in Cybelle's Pizza at 2105 Lombard St. at about 1 a.m. when a group of men, including Crawford, approached and asked if they were Jewish.

The pair replied that they were Jewish and walked outside, where Crawford and several companions allegedly assaulted them, knocking them down and beating and kicking them about the head, Hill said. Hill did not specify how the violence began, saying that that information was a sensitive part of the investigation.

Crawford was arrested at the scene after witnesses flagged down an officer who was sitting in a parked patrol car across the street, Hill said. Crawford was allegedly still in the act of assaulting the two victims, but his companions had fled by the time the officer arrived.

Hill said witnesses at the scene reported three to four attackers, but most witnesses did not give their identities and left the scene without identifying Feinerman and Matthews' attackers.

"At the Anti-Defamation League we've learned that hatred ignored is hatred condoned,'' Regional Director Jonathan Bernstein said today. Bernstein said the league had received a call in late 2005 from Matthews' parents, who alerted the group to the nature of the crime and asked for help in prosecuting those responsible.

The league is funding the reward, distribution of which will be controlled by the San Francisco Police Department, Bernstein said.

Assistant District Attorney Paul Henderson said today Crawford is being charged with two felony counts of assault, two felony counts of aggravated assault causing great bodily injury and two misdemeanor counts of battery, as well as a hate crime enhancement. He said the district attorney's office will use "all means necessary'' to prosecute those involved with the case.

A representative for Crawford could not be reached for comment.

http://www.cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2006/01/05/n/HeadlineNews/REWARD-OFFERED/resources_bcn_html

Police Inspector Julian Hill said the San Francisco residents were jumped around, 1:05 a.m. and Hill asked that anyone who saw the attackers at any point that evening contact police.

Matthews’ mother, Tracy, also pleaded for any witnesses to “find it in their hearts to come forward.”

“We have an interest in seeing justice done. … One witness described it as ‘the most savage thing’ they had ever seen, and expressed some fear [of retaliation],” Steve Matthews said. “We understand [the witnesses’] reluctance, but this is a defining moment in someone’s life.”

Suspect Andrew Crawford, 24, was arrested as he was kicking one of the victims, police said, but the three to four other assailants were able to flee. Crawford, a Marin County resident, pled not guilty Thursday to four felony assault charges, two misdemeanor battery charges and a hate-crime enhancement. Crawford’s attorney, Jim Collins, told the court his client “denies any allegations,” but neither Crawford nor Collins would comment on the case outside the courtroom.

Cameron Matthews, who grew up in Mountain View, and Feinerman, a Seattle native, were college roommates at Stanford and moved to The City in September after graduating, Matthews’ parents said. Both are back at work and recovering.

http://www.sfexaminer.com/articles/2006/01/06/news/20060106_ne04_hate.txt