New York Gay Bashers Plead Guilty

NEW YORK, NY -- The four men who were charged for brutally beating gay artist and entertainer Kevin Aviance last summer have pleaded guilty to the charges raised against them in a Manhattan court Wednesday.

The men attacked Avaince when he left the Phoenix bar in New York last June, beating him up badly and leaving him with a broken jaw and other serious injuries all over his body. Throughout the attack the assailants yelled homophobic slurs.

Akino George, 21, of the Bronx; Jarell Sears, 21, of Newark, N.J.; and Gregory Archie, 19, and Gerard Johnson, 17, both of Manhattan pleaded guilty under plea agreements worked out with the prosecutor.

Johnson pleaded guilty to first-degree assault as a hate crime in exchange for a sentence of 15 years in prison and five years parole.

George and Sears pleaded guilty to first-degree gang assault and will receive prison terms of eight years followed by five years of parole supervision.

Archie pleaded guilty to second-degree assault as a hate crime. He will be sent to prison for six years to be followed by three years of post-release supervision.