Muslim Store Owner Attacked On 9/11 By Bat-Wielding Teen Sues

PALOS VERDES, CA — A Muslim Pakistani immigrant who owns a liquor store in Palos Verdes Estates was severely beaten with a baseball bat wielded by one of three teenagers who came into the liquor store on the 14th anniversary of 9/11, leaving the man with a shattered forearm and mental distress he still suffers to this day, a lawyer for the store owner told a jury Wednesday.

Shuja Obero, 66, is suing George Leventis and Nicholas Ferrera, who were both teenagers at the time of the 2015 attack and have both admitted liability in the case. Lawyer Philip Cohen addressed a Los Angeles Superior Court jury, who heard opening statements in the trial to determine the amount of Oberoi's damages.

"This was a sophisticated, horrible, almost deadly attack," Cohen said. The lawyer also told the jury that Oberoi was targeted because of his ethnicity.

Leventis derisively referred to Oberoi as "the Turk," Cohen said.

Mattias Kelterborn, who was originally one of several other co- defendants in the case, also was present during the attack, the attorneys in the case all agree, but he is no longer part of the case.

The lawyers also concur that Leventis, who was 17 at the time, was the one who attacked Oberoi with the bat the evening of Sept. 11, 2015, at Golden Lion Liquor. Both he and Kelterborn were dressed in costumes and wearing skeleton masks, Cohen said. Ferrera had made several previous visits to the store prior to the attack to check whether other customers were present, according to Cohen.

Attorney Anthony Falangetti, on behalf of Leventis, denied race played a role in the attack, characterizing it as an aborted robbery attempt in which the perpetrators hoped to get not only money, but also liquor to bring to a high school party.

"It was a foolish plan," said Falangetti, who referred to the trio as "knuckleheads."

Falangetti said Leventis was a troubled youth whose behavior changed for the worse after his parents' divorce. He eventually ended up in a continuation high school for a while, but returned for his senior year to his regular high school, Falangetti said.

Leventis began hitting Oberoi with the bat after the plaintiff began screaming, Falangetti said.

The first witness is scheduled to testify Thursday.

Leventis, Kelterborn and Ferrera were all prosecuted in Long Beach Juvenile Court and sentenced to a juvenile camp.

City News Service contributed to this post