Trial begins for man who ripped Mexican flag

PATRIOTISM OR VANDALISM... THAT'S THE QUESTION IN FRONT OF A JURY... A STUDENT RIPPED DOWN A ...  More »

PATRIOTISM OR VANDALISM... THAT'S THE QUESTION IN FRONT OF A JURY... A STUDENT RIPPED DOWN A MEXICAN FLAG LAST FALL ON THE U-N-M CAMPUS... HE CLAIMED HE DID IT BECAUSE AN AMERICAN FLAG WASN'T FLYING NEXT TO IT. BUT OTHER PEOPLE SAY IT WAS AN ACT OF RACISM JEREMY JOJOLA HAS BEEN IN THE COURTROOM THIS AFTERNOON... HE JOINS US WITH THE LATEST ON THE TRIAL. AT THIS CENTER OF THIS TRIAL---PETER LYNCH---A MILITARY VETERAN--- WHO RIPPED UP A MEXICAN FLAG--- BUT BEHIND HIS CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY CHARGE IS SOMETHING MORE--- AN ACT OF SYMBOLISIM... HOW THAT SYMBOLISIM IS INTERPRETED BY THE JURY IS WHAT IS AT STAKE... THE QUESTION: IS PETER LYNCH A PATRIOT OR IS HE A CRIMINAL FOR TEARING UP THAT MEXICAN FLAG ... PROSECUTERS OPENED UP THE TRIAL TODAY SAYING LYNCH SHOULD BE FOUND GUILTY OF DESTORYING PROPERTY-- THE FLAG BELONGED TO THE UNIVERSITY GROUP CALLED EL CENTRO DE LA RAZA---A GOUP THAT HAS ACCUSED LYNCH OF A HATE CRIME, AND OF BEING A RACIST. LYNCH'S ATTORNEY SAID THE MEXICAN FLAG FLEW BY ITSELF FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITHOUT THE AMERICAN FLAG ON CAMPUS---AND THAT LYNCH GOT THE RUN AROUND WHEN HE DEMANDED IT BE TAKEN DOWN. AFTER THE FLAG WAS RIPPED, LYNCH TOOK IT TO AN AIRFORCE ROTC BUILDING---- THE COMMANDER OF THE BULDING, WHO CALLED POLICE THAT DAY, WAS THE FIRST WITNESS TO TESTIFY. AS WE SPEAK HERE OUTSIDE THE COURT HOUSE---THE TRIAL CONTINUES WITH MORE WITNESS TESTIFYING BEFORE A JURY OF SIX PEOPLE---- IT'S POSSIBLE THIS TRIAL---OVER A MISDEMEANOR----COU LD CONTINUE UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING. WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. LIVE DOWNTOWN, JJ EYEN4.  « Less