Student pleads not guilty in Mexican flag incident

STUDENT ACCUSED OF TEARING UP A MEXICAN FLAG LAST MONTH PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO A CHARGE OF CRIMI...  More »

STUDENT ACCUSED OF TEARING UP A MEXICAN FLAG LAST MONTH PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO A CHARGE OF CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY TODAY BUT THE CONTROVERSY CONTINUES. LAST MONTH U-N-M POLICE SAY 30 YEAR OLD PETER LYNCH PULLED DOWN A MEXICAN FLAG FROM A CAMPUS FLAGPOLE AND RIPPED IT IN HALF ... THE FLAG HAD BEEN RAISED TO CELEBRATE MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY. LYNCH SAYS HE DID IT BECAUSE THE AMERICAN FLAG WAS MISSING FROM THE POLE. NOW -- A UNIVERSITY GROUP FOR LATINO STUDENTS CALLED EL CENTRO DE LA RAZA SAYS THIS MY SPACE MESSAGE WAS FOUND NEXT TO LYNCH'S NAME AND PICTURE AND CONTAINS A DEROGATORY REFERENCE TO MEXICANS. IN RESPONSE THE GROUP SAYS: 'IT IS THE POSITION OF EL CENTRO DE LA RAZA THAT THE ACTS OF PETER LYNCH WERE ACTS OF HATE AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH.''I mean if there's any message about this case, is that its only about the american flag.'LYNCH'S ATTORNEY DENIES ANY RACIST COMMENTS MADE BY HIS CLIENT. PETER LYNCH IS SCHEDULED FOR A TRIAL NEXT MONTH.  « Less