News 12/Newsday report: 4 Hispanic men fight MS-13 accusation

<p>Four young Hispanic men in Suffolk say they are being falsely accused of being members of MS-13.&nbsp;</p>

News 12 Staff

Jun 23, 2017, 7:25 PM

Updated 2,492 days ago

Share:

An attorney for four young Hispanic men in Suffolk say his clients are being falsely accused of being members of MS-13.
Three of the men are students at Bellport High School and have been suspended through November. He says a fourth former student was also wrongly labeled an MS-13 member by the Suffolk County Police Department.
"No one is saying that MS-13 isn't a threat. No one is saying there shouldn't be robust and aggressive tactics to go after actual gang members. The problem is we're having a spillover," says attorney Peter Brill. 
Bellport High School was recently rattled by the gang murders of two students after 18-year old Jorge Tigre and 16-year old Justin Llivicura were among four young men believed to be killed by MS-13 in a Central Islip Park.
Brill says the South Country School District officials are "overreacting" by suspending the students who he says have no criminal history and are not in a gang. He says one of the students was suspended because he wore a Chicago Bulls T-shirt to school. 
"He was told that the school had previously announced that Chicago Bulls emblems were MS-13 gang symbols and he was suspended," says Brill. He says his client was out of clean clothes and had to borrow the shirt from his father. 
He says the other students were suspended after they were caught "flipping the bird" to each other. Brill says a school administrator misidentified it as a gang symbol and brought it to the attention of the school resource officers. 
"There's a very big concern that these kids, who have done nothing wrong, are going to wind up deported because they're tarred with the same brush as actual gang members," says Brill. 
In a statement, the South Country School superintendent said, "Due to federal law, the district cannot comment on the specific students." 
The statement goes on to say "the District vigorously denies any such allegations" that it is engaging in what Brill called a "pattern of discrimination." 
A spokesman for the Suffolk police wouldn't comment on the specific criteria the department uses to label someone a gang member. He said their lists are "reviewed and refreshed regularly."


More from News 12
2:06
STORM Academy basketball coach recalls teen fatally shot in Bridgeport

STORM Academy basketball coach recalls teen fatally shot in Bridgeport

2:08
Rain is on the way for tonight and early Saturday, warmer temps on the way

Rain is on the way for tonight and early Saturday, warmer temps on the way

0:25
New Haven PD releases form to better serve individuals with disabilities during emergencies

New Haven PD releases form to better serve individuals with disabilities during emergencies

2:33
Nearly 100-year-old time capsule discovered by Norwalk demo crew

Nearly 100-year-old time capsule discovered by Norwalk demo crew

2:25
CT partnering with other states to regulate artificial intelligence

CT partnering with other states to regulate artificial intelligence

0:35
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck

Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck

1:02
Broadway star takes over Fairfield SHU Community Theatre

Broadway star takes over Fairfield SHU Community Theatre

1:14
Early morning fire displaces 5 people in Bridgeport

Early morning fire displaces 5 people in Bridgeport

1:50
FBI on alert for potential threats in Connecticut amid Middle East tensions

FBI on alert for potential threats in Connecticut amid Middle East tensions

0:29
Police: Ansonia man arrested for inappropriate messages to 13-year-old boy

Police: Ansonia man arrested for inappropriate messages to 13-year-old boy

0:21
Officials probe suspicious death of Bridgeport man found in Massachusetts house

Officials probe suspicious death of Bridgeport man found in Massachusetts house

0:29
Thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry stolen during smash-and-grab robbery at Trumbull Mall

Thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry stolen during smash-and-grab robbery at Trumbull Mall

1:55
The Real Deal: How tipping trends have changed in the tri-state area

The Real Deal: How tipping trends have changed in the tri-state area

0:54
Guide: How to host Passover on a budget

Guide: How to host Passover on a budget

Is your mom awesome? Connecticut tell us why your Mom Rocks!

Is your mom awesome? Connecticut tell us why your Mom Rocks!

2:34
Bridgeport sexual assault survivor shares story during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Bridgeport sexual assault survivor shares story during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

2:11
Milford business owner loses house and dog in fire; effort to help underway

Milford business owner loses house and dog in fire; effort to help underway

2:27
17-year-old dies from gunshot to head, becomes Bridgeport’s 4th homicide victim this year

17-year-old dies from gunshot to head, becomes Bridgeport’s 4th homicide victim this year

2:17
Renters push for ban on 'no cause' evictions, but CT lawmakers are wary

Renters push for ban on 'no cause' evictions, but CT lawmakers are wary

2:05
Monroe police say they have person of interest in nearly 50-year-old cold case

Monroe police say they have person of interest in nearly 50-year-old cold case