A Ukrainian family will have to wait a little longer to find out if charges will be dropped in a Broward County case dubbed a gay hate crime.
Mother Inna, father Yevhan, and brothers Oleh and Pavlo Makarenko are still facing immigration holds and charges that include attempted felony murder, kidnapping and battery, records show.
Oleh and Pavlo's brother Vlad Makarenko had those charges dismissed on Thursday and attorney Michael Glasser hopes the rest of the family will be exonerated soon.
“All of them may be home as early as next week,” he said Friday morning, after a brief court hearing for Inna Makarenko.
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The family is accused of brutally beating a 31-year-old gay man in Pompano Beach last August, leaving him partially blind.
“They didn’t do anything whatsoever to this man,” Glasser said. “They had no idea who this man was until after they were arrested.”
According to court documents, the family attacked the man when they discovered he was having a relationship with Oleh Makarenko.
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“We don’t want to get into that,” Glasser said. “People’s private lives are private.”
Even though charges have been dropped against Vlad Makarenko he remains in federal custody for immigration reasons. The rest of family also has their immigration status on hold because of the charges.
Glasser hopes the dismissal of charges against Vlad Makarenko will have a domino effect for the rest of the family.
They came to the U.S. from the Ukraine about six years ago seeking asylum, Glasser said, and these arrests jeopardized that.
The next court hearing for Inna Makarenko is scheduled for Aug. 5.
The beaten man’s name has not been released.
