Article: 12 Arraigned in Howard Beach Case; 3 Face Murder Charges in What Judge Calls an `American Tragedy'

Three white youths were charged with second-degree murder and nine others were indicted today on charges ranging from rioting to attempted murder for the Dec. 20 Howard Beach racial attack in which a black man died.

The 12 defendants, ages 16 to 19, pleaded not guilty at their arraignment before a packed courtroom, and State Supreme Court Justice Alfred D. Lerner ordered them to return March 6. The youths, who will be tried as adults, surrendered at the 112th precinct in Queens early this morning.

Two of the youths charged today with second-degree murder-Jon L. Lester, 17, and Scott Kern, 18-previously faced the same charge, but it and other charges were reduced to reckless endangerment ...

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