2 Men Plead Guilty in ‘Gay Bashing’ Case : Courts: They will receive reduced sentences for admitting the attack in Laguna Beach. Charges included the commission of a hate crime.

SANTA ANA —  Two men accused in a Laguna Beach beating in which they attacked a man they thought was gay pleaded guilty to all charges Monday, including the commission of a hate crime.

In exchange for their pleas in Orange County Superior Court, Jeff Michael Raines, 19, of San Juan Capistrano, and Christopher Michael Cribbins, 22, of San Clemente, will receive reduced maximum terms when they are sentenced Oct. 8.

Raines, a former high school football player who had faced a 15-year sentence for attempted murder and assault with intent to do great bodily injury, now can receive no more than 11 years in prison. Cribbins, a clerk in a leather shop, faces a maximum of one year in county jail and probation on the assault charge, instead of seven years in state prison.

Both men remain free on bail.

Authorities maintained that the Jan. 9 attack, on a rocky stretch of beach near three Laguna Beach bars popular among homosexuals, was an example of “gay bashing.” Prosecutors believed that Raines and Cribbins, along with several others seeking to attack gays, drove to Laguna Beach, where they beat and shoved 55-year-old Loc Minh Truong against some jagged rocks.

Truong, of Costa Mesa, was hospitalized in critical condition for several days after the beating.

At Raines’ preliminary hearing in February, Laguna Beach Police Officer Jason Kravetz said he went to the beach after two witnesses reported a fight. Kravetz testified that he found Truong lying face up along a rocky stretch. His left eye was severely damaged and a rock was lodged three-quarters of an inch into the back of his head.

Prosecutors said Raines beat Truong as Cribbins used pejorative names and shoved Truong against the rocks.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Craig McKinnon said the case’s outcome sends “a message that this kind of conduct cannot and will not be tolerated in Orange County.”

Neither Raines nor Cribbins commented on the case. Frederick McBride, Raines’ attorney, said there “was not much controversy in this case about what happened” on the beach that night.

But the defense attorney said that what took place was “30 seconds worth of madness” that was uncharacteristic of Raines. The beating grew out of “a bunch of young men . . . talking inappropriately and acting inappropriately,” McBride said. “It got out of hand.”