Marcello Lucero, 37, of Patchogue, was beaten, stabbed and was pronounced dead at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital.

Marcello Lucero, 37, of Patchogue, was beaten, stabbed and was pronounced dead at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital. Jeffrey Conroy, 17, of 189 Jamaica Ave., Medford, Jordan Dasch, 17, of 5 Lyndsie Court, Medford, Anthony Hartford, 17, of 94 Greenport Ave., Medford, Nicholas Hausch, 17, of 36A Middle Island Ave., Medford; Christopher Overton, 16, of 9 Yacht St., East Patchogue, Jose Pacheco, 17, of 244 Hospital Road, East Patchogue and Kevin Shea, 17, of 301 Jamaica Ave., Medford were arraigned in first district court in Central Islip. All defendants were charged with first degree gang assault. Conroy has also been charged with first degree manslaughter as a hate crime.The defendants were arraigned Monday before Judge Toni Bean. All seven defendants pleaded not guilty.District Attorney Thomas Spota said “A thorough and deliberate presentation of all the facts and circumstances surrounding this brutal and wonton act will be made to the grand jury in the coming days. The right of all individuals to be free from fear and attack regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation is paramount and will be vigorously defended.”The judge remanded Conroy to the Suffolk County jail without bail. Bail was set at $500,000 bond with a $250,000 cash alternative on Overton and $300,000 bond with a $150,000 cash alternative for each of the remaining defendants.All defendants are scheduled to return to court on Friday, Nov. 14. On Monday, Gov. David Paterson issued a statement related to the case.“Today, I ask New Yorkers to join me in mourning the death of Marcello Lucero, a Hispanic man of Ecuadorian descent who was the fatal victim of a vicious hate crime over the weekend in Suffolk County. This disgraceful act should serve as a source of outrage for all of us.

Posted in: Suffolk County