From: Hoanh Dinh Tran <0003752801@mcimail.com>
Subject: [SOC] Vietnamese Student's Death in Miami
Originator: daemon@media-lab.media.mit.edu
Reply-To: 0003752801@mcimail.com
Organization: N/A
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 1992 20:38:34 GMT


Hi everyone:

Following is some information on the fatal beating of Luyen Phan Nguyen, a 
Vietnamese pre-med student in Coral Springs, Florida (first posted on the  
net by Thanh Nguyen).

According to several press articles from Miami area (Miami Herald, etc..), 
there may be more than five (arrested) students involved in the beating.  
More arrests are expected.  Could be 10 or  15 in total.

The beating started after a surprise going party for some friends.  Most 
party-goers are recent highschool graduates.  Luyen was going with two 
American friends.  During the party, someone had some racial slurs against 
him.  Probably "Chink."  He said something to object to it.  After the  
party, a group of people waiting for him at the elevator and started the 
fight.  One person was holding him for others to beat.  He escaped several 
times but was chased down like a "wounded deer."  Someone was yelling "I 
hate Vietnamese" while beating him.  Someone else hit his head against a 
light post.  After he became unsconscious, the mob simply laughed and 
walked away.  Someone turned back and kicked his lifeless limbs several 
times.

His two friends had run to call the  police.  Other party goers did not 
interfered, saying that the commotion was to frenzy to interfere.  (Total 
about 30 people in the party).  People in the apartment complex heard his 
scream, but no one interfered.

I've talked to Mr. Chu Ba' Ye^'n, president of the Vietnamese Community of 
the State of Florida and owner of the Florida Vie^.t Ba'o in Miami.  The 
Vietnamese Community for Southern Florida (Miami-based) is planning to 
organize a special task force for this matter.  Probably the task force may 
have a longer vision at racial discrimination against Vietnamese in the US.  
It could be called Committee for Protection of Human Rights and Civil 
Rights of Vietnamese American.  The Vietnamese community is meeting this 
afternoon (2pm Friday).

Mrs. Dong Thanh Ingalls in Tampa, a vice president of the Vietnamese 
National Congress (Nghi Hoi Toan Quoc) is also involved in this cause.  I 
understand that Nguye^.t A'nh (singer, owner of Pho^' Nho? newspaper in 
D.C. is on her way to Florida.

I have my local counsel, the law firm of Mitani, Rynor & Gellegos, P.A.  in 
Miami on the ball to offer legal advice to the Vietnamese group.  We want 
to be sure that prosecutors and judges do their job properly in this case.  
And of course I am available for legal advice also.  

The Asian American Federation has been contacting the Vietnamese community 
in Florida to give political support and organizing this as an Asian issue.  
My local counsel and I are talking to the National Asian Pacific American 
Bar Assiciation. 

What can the SCVers do? 
I think SCV can have a committee of itself to support the Miami committee, 
to transmit information (that is what SCVers can do best), to provide 
connections, and to seek time or financial support.  Some SCVers have shown 
a remarkable ability to make time and energy to fight AGAINST each other.  
Let's stop it and work on this to fight FOR each other intead.  O.K., guys?

Now, someone should volunteer to start the SCV group.  I am available for 
advice.  Please feel free to send me an email.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

Me^'n
Hoa`nh 
 
Date:     Wed Aug 19, 1992  4:00 pm  EST
From:     THANH NGUYEN
          EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414
          MBX: edwind@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov

Associates Press, Coral Springs, Fla.

Five men were being held without bond yesterday in the fatal beating of a
Vietnamese college student who was chased down like "an injured deer" after
he objected to a racial slur, police said.

Luyen Phan Nguyen, 19, a pre-med student at the University of Miami, died
Monday of head wounds suffered when he was chased and beaten outside a
party Saturday night.  Nguyen never emerged from a coma, officals said.

Nguyen's family left Vietnamin 1980 and settled in Coral Springs six years
ago.  He had hoped to become a doctor like his father.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Those of you who live in the Miami area, please provide us more information
about this case.  Please also let us know what Vietnamese comunities across
the U.S. can do to bring these five murderers to justice.   This is NOT the
first time it happened in Miami.  It happened before, and it will happen
again unless we Vietnamese are united to fight against racial violence and
injustice in America.  What can we do to stop and prevent this kind of
racial violence to happen again to our Vietnamese people here in the 
U.S.???
Please let me hear your ideas and suggestions.

T. Nguyen

Command: re

Newsgroups: soc.culture.vietnamese