The Nation - News from April 28, 1989

The comatose victim of a Central Park attack has developed pneumonia and her “life hangs by a thread,” doctors said. As a precaution, the 28-year-old woman was put back on a respirator. Eight of her alleged attackers, ages 14 to 17, are in custody. Two were indicted Wednesday, and on Thursday a grand jury indicted three more teen-agers who allegedly left her for dead. A fourth teen-ager was released without bail after a prosecutor told the judge the grand jury had taken no action in his case. When asked afterward by reporters if his client had made a deal to testify or agreed to a plea bargain, the teen’s defense attorney said no. Two other teen-agers were indicted Thursday on charges involving an earlier attack by the same group on a male jogger. The suspects were being held on charges of attempted murder, rape and assault.