John White to be sentenced for fatally shooting teen

Their lives came together one night inAugust 2006 at the foot of a suburban driveway - a black fatherbrandishing a gun and a white teen who had been feuding with theman's son. In the moments that followed,

News 12 Staff

Mar 19, 2008, 12:38 PM

Updated 6,106 days ago

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Their lives came together one night inAugust 2006 at the foot of a suburban driveway - a black fatherbrandishing a gun and a white teen who had been feuding with theman's son. In the moments that followed, the teen was killed and the manholding the gun would later claim that the weapon dischargedaccidentally. John White, the father, who said at his trial that he feared aracist mob had come to attack his home when he armed himself andfaced a crowd of angry white teens, including the ill-fated17-year-old Daniel Cicciaro, faced sentencing Wednesday. White was convicted in December of second-degree manslaughterand a weapons charge. During his three-week trial, his attorneysargued the shooting was justified, referring to the teenagers as a"lynch mob." But the jury appeared to reject that argument in their unanimousdecision, though two members of the panel later claimed they feltWhite should be acquitted, but said they changed their votes so asto avoid having to deliberate on a Sunday. Jurors had told Judge Barbara Kahn that they were deadlockedtwice during three full days of deliberations. The Rev. Al Sharpton led a march in January in protest of theverdict. He complained that none of the teenagers was charged witha crime, and pointed to the jurors who claimed that they regrettedtheir vote to convict. White, 54, was permitted to remain free on bail while awaitinghis sentencing date. His defense attorneys have said they wouldappeal.Jury starts deliberations in racially charged shootingJudge rules jury can consider lesser charge in shooting Miller Place man accused of killing teen takes stand Son takes stand in Miller Place father's shooting trial