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Racist Philly Shooter Blames Booze

by Dave Racher, Daily News Staff Writer

Posted: August 13, 1999

Philadelphia has its share of hate crimes, too.

One was played out in court yesterday.

Vincent Meier, 50, who is white and who has often boasted loudly that he hates African-Americans, pleaded no defense to charges of firing five shots at six black kids outside his home on Taney Street near Master last Jan. 23.

One of the bullets seriously injured 15-year-old Marcus Kane, said Assistant District Attorney Richard Negrin.

After surgery, Kane recovered from a wound to his groin area, but he still has nightmares about the incident, his mother said.

"I would like a lethal injection," Meier told Common Pleas Judge Anthony J. DeFino. The judge smiled and quipped, "Do I have that power?"

DeFino committed Meier to prison to await sentencing after finding him guilty of ethnic intimidation, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and a weapons offense. Meier faces a possible sentence of 231/2 to 47 years.

Negrin said neighbors have complained about Kane repeatedly shouting racial insults on his block.

The prosecutor said after the shooting, Meier barricaded himself in his home with his girlfriend before police talked him out.

Negrin said when Meier saw kids playing football outside, he told Evelyn Kaufmann, "I'm going downstairs and kill those n------. I love you, I'm going to die in a half-hour. Don't have any black people in the house."

Meier then opened the front door, shouted racial slurs and began shooting in the crowded street.

Meier said he had been drinking on the day of the incident, and the "gun accidentally went off from me shaking so bad."

"Before I opened the door, I almost shot my foot off," he said.