San Diego Gay Pride attackers in court

By Fliss Kay • September 19, 2006 - 0:00

One of the victims is expected to leave the hospital next week after facial reconstruction surgery

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The six men accused of attacking six men leaving San Diego's Gay Pride festival in July may be agreeing to plea bargains in court today, their prosecutors and lawyers said yesterday.

The case yesterday was to be presented to a San Diego Superior Court judge to decide whether there is enough evidence against them for a trial. However, the judge was busiy dealing with another case and in the late afternoon, rescheduled the case to this morning.

One of the victims is expected to leave the hospital next week after facial reconstruction surgery, prosecutor Oscar Garcia said to the San Diego Union-Tribune

In plea bargains - which is how the vast majority of cases are resolved - defendants typically agree to plead guilty to lesser crimes and prosecutors drop more serious charges in exchange for not having to go to trial.

James Carroll, 24, is charged with two counts of attempted murder. He and Lyonn Tatum, 18, also face charges of assault with a deadly weapon and hate crime allegations, which could add time to sentences imposed.

A third man, Kenneth Lincoln, 23, is charged as an accessory after the fact.

Prosecutors say Carroll, Tatum and a 15-year-old boy who has already pleaded guilty in Juvenile Court assaulted six men as they left San Diego's Gay Pride Festival on July 29.

Outside court, Albert Arena, who represents Tatum, said the attacks weren't motivated by hatred of gay people, but rather "just young men on an alcohol-based rampage."

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