By Blanca M. Quintanilla
A Queens teenager accused of stabbing a 16-year-old boy to death in an Elmhurst hangout known as “The Maze” was acquitted of murder charges last night.
, 17, of Maspeth, lowered his head and cried softly when the jury’s verdict was announced. His family and friends in the courtroom embraced and many also cried.
The verdict stunned family members of , who was stabbed 18 times in the graffiti-scarred series of alleys behind warehouses near the Elmhurst gas tanks.
“A young man is dead, but my client pleaded innocent from the beginning and the verdict showed that,” said attorney, Todd Greenberg.
Assistant District Attorney Debra Lynn Pomodore said only, “The jury has spoken and I accept the verdict.”
Jurors were unavailable for comment last night.
Greenberg did not call a single defense witness during the trial. He attacked the credibility of the graffiti vandals who testified they saw repeatedly stab on Dec. 6, 1992.
The Maze is a series of alleys formed by the walls of warehouses at 52d Court and 74th St. At the time of the slaying, police said it was a hangout for teens who often scrawled graffiti and set fires.
