2 Nevada Teens Sentenced for Beating Muslim Men

RENO —  Two teenagers have been sentenced to up to 40 years in prison for the baseball bat beatings of two Muslim men outside a Sparks mosque.

David Nolette and Scott Cannady must serve at least 14 years under the sentence handed down by Washoe District Judge James Hardesty for last year’s beating of Dr. El Tag Mirghani and Mohammed Sanad.

The youths were also ordered to pay $563,000 in restitution to Mirghani and $850 to Sanad.

Mirghani suffered serious brain injuries and was forced to give up his medical practice. Sanad suffered a broken arm.

The March 16, 2001, beating and robbery occurred as Mirghani and Sanad left an evening prayer service at the Northern Nevada Muslim Community Center in Sparks.

According to testimony, the youths sought money for drugs.

Nolette was 15 at the time of the attacks. Cannady, who pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, was 17. Both were convicted on four counts each of battery and robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery.

Jurors acquitted Nolette of attempted murder and deadlocked on the same charge against Cannady. Prosecutors decided not to retry him on that count.

Police rejected the view that the attack was a hate crime.