6 NYC teens charged with hate-crime murder in birthday party beating

(CBS/AP) NEW YORK - Authorities say six New York City teenagers have been charged with murder as a hate crime in the beating and stomping of an 18-year-old perceived to be gay.

Anthony Collao of Bethpage on Long Island was attacked in March while leaving a birthday party in Woodhaven, Queens.

Collao attended the party for two friends, which was held in an abandoned and advertised on Facebook, according toCBS station WCBS. According to police, there was a $7 cover-charge for party attendees. Later in the evening, uninvited gang members crashed the party, refusing to pay.

The party crashers then started trashing the home -- breaking windows, writing anti-gay slurs on the walls and yelling anti-gay slurs at Collao, the station reported.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said Thursday the defendants were each charged in a 21-count indictment that includes second-degree murder as a hate crime. Brown said the charges were upgraded after new evidence from witnesses.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said previously that the suspects made "homophobic remarks" and scrawled on a wall with red markers after crashing the party.

The defendants could face up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.