reason #354 to stop snitchin'

Matthew Taylor, 18, was arrested after he doused his 14-year-old neighbor with gasoline, then chased him with a lighter, trying to set him on fire, Nassau police said. (NCPD, NCPD / September 25, 2008)

The smell of gas lingered in a Terrace Avenue apartment building yesterday, a day after a Hempstead High School senior tried to burn alive a 14-year-old schoolmate who accused him of snitching, Nassau police said.
Matthew Taylor, 18, pleaded not guilty to first-degree attempted assault and other charges in District Court in Hempstead yesterday, a day after police said Taylor doused his schoolmate with gasoline and tried to set him on fire.
The boy was not burned because Taylor, of 67 Terrace Ave., couldn't ignite the gas with a lighter or a road flare, police said.
But he could have burned down the 60-unit building, officials added.

Had this young man been successful in getting that flare to ignite, the fumes and the accelerant that was on the walls of the building, we could have experienced huge fatalities," said Det. Lt. Ray Cote at a news conference in Mineola.

Taylor's family came to the arraignment and later said he had been targeted by a group of vicious teenagers. "All he wants to do is graduate," said his grandmother, Annie Taylor.
After Taylor doused the victim with gas, which he had in a 20-ounce Gatorade bottle, the victim ran to his grandmother's apartment nearby, police said.
"I opened the door and he said, 'Matthew threw gasoline on me,'" said his grandmother. She took her grandson to the shower as Taylor threw gas on her door, according to police.

Taylor also was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, fourth-degree possession of a dangerous weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. He was ordered held on $250,000 bail and is due back in court on Monday.

The victim, whose name was not released, was treated at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola for chemical burns and released, Cote said.
A woman who said she was the victim's sister said he was doing fine and disputed the Taylor family's characterizations. "He's not a bully. He's 14," said the woman, who identified herself as Jessica. "That's sick what he's doing, throwing gasoline on my brother. We could today be burying my brother."
Cote said both teens were suspended after they fought Tuesday about 10 a.m. in Hempstead High School. Cote did not say what the two fought about, except that the 14-year-old thought Taylor had "snitched" on his cousin.

School officials declined to comment.

:shrug:

Matthew Taylor, 18, was arrested after he doused his 14-year-old neighbor with gasoline, then chased him with a lighter, trying to set him on fire, Nassau police said. (NCPD, NCPD / September 25, 2008) The smell of gas lingered in a Terrace Avenue apartment building yesterday, a day after a Hempstead High School senior tried to burn alive a 14-year-old schoolmate who accused him of snitching, Nassau police said. Matthew Taylor, 18, pleaded not guilty to first-degree attempted assault and other charges in District Court in Hempstead yesterday, a day after police said Taylor doused his schoolmate with gasoline and tried to set him on fire. The boy was not burned because Taylor, of 67 Terrace Ave., couldn't ignite the gas with a lighter or a road flare, police said. But he could have burned down the 60-unit building, officials added. Had this young man been successful in getting that flare to ignite, the fumes and the accelerant that was on the walls of the building, we could have experienced huge fatalities," said Det. Lt. Ray Cote at a news conference in Mineola. Taylor's family came to the arraignment and later said he had been targeted by a group of vicious teenagers. "All he wants to do is graduate," said his grandmother, Annie Taylor. After Taylor doused the victim with gas, which he had in a 20-ounce Gatorade bottle, the victim ran to his grandmother's apartment nearby, police said. "I opened the door and he said, 'Matthew threw gasoline on me,'" said his grandmother. She took her grandson to the shower as Taylor threw gas on her door, according to police. Taylor also was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, fourth-degree possession of a dangerous weapon and endangering the welfare of a child. He was ordered held on $250,000 bail and is due back in court on Monday. The victim, whose name was not released, was treated at Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola for chemical burns and released, Cote said. A woman who said she was the victim's sister said he was doing fine and disputed the Taylor family's characterizations. "He's not a bully. He's 14," said the woman, who identified herself as Jessica. "That's sick what he's doing, throwing gasoline on my brother. We could today be burying my brother." Cote said both teens were suspended after they fought Tuesday about 10 a.m. in Hempstead High School. Cote did not say what the two fought about, except that the 14-year-old thought Taylor had "snitched" on his cousin. School officials declined to comment. :shrug: