Article: 3 Convicted of Manslaughter In '86 Howard Beach Attack; Fourth Teen-Ager Acquitted by Queens Jury

Three white teen-agers were convicted of manslaughter tonight for chasing a black man to his death on a Queens highway in Howard Beach last December in one of the most racially charged cases in New York history. A fourth defendant was acquitted of all charges.

After a three-month trial and 12 tense days of deliberations, a state Supreme Court jury rejected second-degree murder charges against Jon Lester and Scott Kern, both 18, while finding Lester, Kern and Jason Ladone, 17, guilty of second-degree manslaughter in the death of Michael Griffith, 23.

Michael Pirone, 18, was acquitted of manslaughter and lesser charges.

The jury, which included one black, also found Lester, Kern and Ladone ...

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