4 teens get probation in Halloween night beating

? Four of nine black teenagers convicted in the racially charged beating of three white women on Halloween were sentenced to probation Friday.

Punishment could have ranged up to confinement in a California Youth Authority lockup until age 25. The teens were ordered to serve 250 hours of community service, 60 days house arrest, and take anger management and racial tolerance programs.

“It was an awful crime. Terrible, emotional and physical injuries,” Juvenile Court Judge Gibson Lee said.

Last week, Lee convicted nine teens – eight female and one male – of felony assault, with a hate-crime enhancement against all but one.

Among those sentenced Friday were an 18-year-old youth, his twin sister, their 16-year-old sister – who didn’t receive the hate-crime enhancement – and another 16-year-old girl.

The other five defendants face sentencing next week. Names of the defendants were withheld because they are juveniles or were juveniles at the time and were tried as juveniles.