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Soundbites: The Reaction to Jeffrey Conroy’s Conviction

Posted April 19, 2010 by Ted Hesson
Categories: Hate Watch

This morning, Jeffrey Conroy was convicted of first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime, as related to the stabbing death of Ecuadorian Marcelo Lucero in a November 2008 attack. For the story, click here.

At the courthouse, one Ecuadorian government official from the Ecuadorian National Department of the Migrants called the verdict “historic.” Immigrant advocate Rev. Allan Ramirez of the Brookville Reformed Church said that the district attorney’s office had “extracted a tumor.”

Marcelo’s brother, Joselo—who has attended nearly every court proceeding regarding his brother’s killing—said that for those that would target Latinos, “hunting season is over, at least for now.”

Here are some other responses that I compiled with the help of another reporter at the courthouse:

District Attorney Thomas J. Spota:
“The legacy of Marcelo Lucero is that the law protects everyone, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what language they speak.”

“The bottom line is that no resource will be spared to arrest and prosecute those who target [immigrants].”

Conroy’s defense attorney William Keahon
“Unfortunately, in our system of justice sometimes young men and young women are convicted of crimes they did not commit; that’s why we have an appeals process.”

“Today will be the first day of that process.”

Fernando Mateo, spokesperson for the Lucero family
“We must say that we are very pleased with the job that the district attorney has done.”

Speaking to the district attorney:
“I think that you’ve set a national precedent on how to try hate crimes.”

Joselo Lucero
About the verdict: “I’m satisfied.”

On his brother’s killing in light of the verdict:
“It’s something that I have to live with the rest of my life. It’s really painful every day.”

To those who supported him during the trial:
“I also want to say ‘thanks’ to every person who was here with me.”

Rev. Allan Ramirez of the Brookville Reformed Church
Speaking about the verdict (via the AP):
“They have extracted a tumor, but the illness, the disease, the cancer of hatred in this community will remain, and it will be the responsibility of the political leaders to begin to extract it.”

Speaking about elected officials who promoted anti-immigrant sentiment before Lucero’s killing:
“Although only Jeff Conroy will be going to jail, I believe that there are others who should perhaps be going with him, who could not be indicted by the district attorney.”

Tags : hate crimes, jeffrey conroy, marcelo lucero, suffolk

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