The three victims -- Loren Hyman, 21; Laura Schneider, 19; and Michelle Smith, 19 -- sat together in the front row, showing no emotion at the verdicts. Concerned about their security, they later went to "safe places" for the weekend without making public comment, said Doug Otto, their civil attorney.
"They're gratified that their version of what occurred seems to be vindicated by the court's decision," Otto said. "They feel that justice is beginning to be done in this case."
Otto said all three women felt victimized again by some of the comments that defendants' supporters made during the contentious trial. "There's not a scintilla of evidence that they provoked these things," he said.
After the verdicts, families of the accused converged at a North Long Beach church to address the media. They have said that their children were present when the attack occurred but did not participate in the beatings.
"I was walking out of the court and they were crying, 'Mama,' and I couldn't do nothing," said the mother of four of the defendants, including the girl who was cleared in the case.
She said her children work hard, do their homework and are not allowed to watch TV during the week. Going out on Halloween "was a treat for them."
The news conference ended with sobs and a woman screaming, "Oh, my God, they took my baby."
Lee said he will hear Wednesday how the attack has affected the victims' lives, before setting a sentencing date. Judges, not juries, decide all cases in Juvenile Court.
The defendants, who have spent 87 days in custody, could receive penalties ranging from probation to commitment to a California Youth Authority prison until they are 25. They have no criminal records. Given that, defense attorneys say the most likely sentence would be three to nine months in a county probation camp.
Two other boys, arrested separately from the 10, will go on trial later for the assaults.
The incident had ignited outrage in Long Beach since it was first reported in a front-page Press-Telegram article that labeled it "a horrific hate crime" and quoted the victims as comparing the culprits to "a pack of hyenas." Residents of Bixby Knolls expressed a range of emotions: Some railed against political leaders for not quickly addressing their fears; others urged that the case not be prejudged.
