Yusef Hawkins murder
The murder of Yusef Hawkins, a 16-year-old African American, occurred on August 23, 1989, in the predominantly white neighborhood of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York. Hawkins and his friends were looking at a used car when they were confronted by a group of white youths, leading to a racially charged altercation. Believing that Hawkins and his friends were associated with a local white girl, the group attacked Hawkins, resulting in his death from gunshot wounds. The incident highlighted the racial tensions in New York City at the time, as it was perceived as a manifestation of deep-seated animosities. Eight individuals were charged in connection with the murder, with Joseph Fama being convicted of second-degree murder and others receiving lesser sentences. The case's outcomes, particularly the acquittals of several defendants on serious charges, sparked significant protests within the African American community, notably led by activist Al Sharpton. Hawkins' murder and the subsequent reactions underscored systemic issues of racism and violence in urban America, prompting ongoing discussions about race relations.
Yusef Hawkins murder
Yusef (also spelled Yusuf) Hawkins, a sixteen-year-old African American, was confronted and killed by a group of Italian American young men in the predominantly white Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, New York, on August 23, 1989. The murder was racially motivated and served as a sign of the deep-seated animosities and racial divisions that existed in New York City at the time.
Hawkins and three African American friends had traveled to Bensonhurst from their home in East New York to look at a used car for sale. They were confronted by a group of white youths with baseball bats led by Keith Mondello, Joseph Fama, and others. Hawkins was trapped by the group when four shots from a .32-caliber automatic pistol were fired. Hawkins was hit once in the hand and twice in the chest and died shortly after.
Police reported that the white youths mistakenly believed that Hawkins and his companions were friends of a white neighborhood girl, Gina Feliciano. Feliciano, who once dated Mondello, had reportedly begun a series of friendships with African American and Hispanic men. The night that Hawkins was killed, Mondello was reportedly told either by Feliciano or someone else that a group of her black and Hispanic friends would arrive with bats to beat up him and his friends.
Eight men were charged in the attack. The eighteen-year-old Fama was the only one convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to the maximum sentence on June 11, 1990. The nineteen-year-old Mondello was convicted of riot, unlawful imprisonment, discrimination, menacing, and criminal possession of a weapon and sentenced on June 11, 1990, to five and one-third to sixteen years in prison. Joseph Serrano, John Vento, and Pasquale Raucci were convicted on lesser charges. Three others were acquitted of all charges.
The fact that Mondello was acquitted of the major charges of murder and manslaughter, along with pent up tension over other mob killings of African Americans in New York City, led to a series of protests from the African American community. Most notably, the Reverend Al Sharpton led a protest march over the issue.
Bibliography
Blumenthal, Ralph. "Black Youth Is Killed by Whites; Brooklyn Attack Is Called Racial." New York Times. New York Times, 25 Aug. 1989. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Chan, Sewell. "The Death of Yusuf Hawkins, 20 Years Later." City Room. New York Times, 21 Aug. 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
DeSantis, John. For the Color of His Skin: The Murder of Yusuf Hawkins and the Trial of Bensonhurst. New York: Pharos, 1991. Print.
Schapiro, Richard. Keith Mondello, Ringleader in 1989 Shooting Death of Brooklyn Teen, 'Would Do Anything to Give Yusuf Hawkins His Life Back." Daily News. NYDailyNews.com, 17 Aug. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
Schapiro, Richard. "Mom Can't Forgive Killers of Yusuf Hawkins, Whose Death 25 Years Ago Sparked Marches in Racially Tense Brooklyn." Daily News. NYDailyNews.com, 17 Aug. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.