Judge refuses to release 4 accused of beating disabled youth

CHICAGO — A Chicago judge has refused to allow four black people recorded by a cellphone taunting and beating a mentally disabled white youth to leave jail, saying they are accused of such "terrible actions" that they are a danger to society.

Cook County Circuit Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil rebuked them during a Friday court appearance, asking: "Where was your sense of decency?"

The beating of an 18-year-old youth was captured on video by one of the assailants and has since been viewed millions of times on social media. The footage shows the suspects taunting the victim with profanities against white people and President-elect Donald Trump.

They are charged with two counts of committing a hate crime — one because of the victim's race and the other because of his mental disabilities.