Suspect in beating of deaf teen to undergo psychological evaluation

From: North County Times - Escondido,CA,USA - Dec 8, 2006

By: North County Times wire services -

SAN DIEGO - A man who participated in the beating of a deaf teenager because he didn't like the way the victim looked at him will undergo a prison psychological evaluation before being sentenced, a judge ruled today.

Jesse Russell Ross, 20, pleaded guilty Oct. 24 to assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and battery with serious injury.

Superior Court Judge George W. Clarke ordered the 90-day diagnostic study to determine if Ross is a suitable candidate for probation or whether he should go to prison for a maximum of seven years.

Sentencing was rescheduled for March 28.

The beating happened about 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 13 on the basketball court at Rosa Parks Elementary School in City Heights, police said.

Loro Bureng was playing basketball with friends when several suspects approached and severely beat him for no apparent reason, police said.

The victim suffered a broken eye socket and nose.

A Crime Stoppers reward offer led to Ross' arrest a few days later, police said.

Ross, who was on probation for shoplifting at the time of the attack, was unaware that the victim was deaf when he beat him, said defense attorney Milly Durovic. CNS-12-08-2006 17:37

© 2006 North County Times