Ecuadorean Bias Victim's Mom in NY
Charged teens not required to attend court hearing
Monday, Jul 20, 2009 | Updated 2:04 PM EST
Marcelo Lucero was stabbed to death and his attackers have been charged with a hate crime.
The mother of Ecuadorean stabbing victim Marcelo Lucero is expected to attend a New York court conference for seven teenagers accused in the hate crime attack.
Rosario Lucero and the victim's sister, Isabel Lucero, arrived from Ecuador on Monday.
They plan to hold a press conference outside the Long Island courthouse on Wednesday.
The teens are not required to attend the mostly procedural court conference. They have pleaded not guilty to hate crime and other charges related to the Nov. 8, 2008, killing of Lucero, a 37-year-old dry cleaning worker.
The teens reportedly told authorities that targeting Hispanics was a regular activity.
The killing has attracted international attention and prompted a U.S. Justice Department investigation of area hate crimes.
