Long Island Woman Accused Of Leaving Racist Voicemail On Church Phone Pleads Not Guilty
AMITYVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island woman has pleaded not guilty to allegations she left a racist message at a local church.
Elisa Pellino, 66, is charged with second-degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime, 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reported.
The Farmingdale resident is accused of leaving a racist and threatening voicemail at the New Hope Institutional Baptist Church in Amityville on Wednesday.
Long Island Woman Accused Of Leaving Racist Voicemail On Church Phone Pleads Not Guilty
Pastor Sallie Lloyd said the voicemail included a racial epithet and because of the recent racially-motivated shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, she called police.
"She could have came here. Even though she made the threat at 1 o'clock in the day, maybe later on she would have came," said Lloyd. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt."
The pastor said detectives told her Pellino found the church when she did a search on the Internet, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.
"She was on the Internet surfing for a black church, and she did tell them that she don't like black people," Lloyd said.
Long Island Woman Accused Of Leaving Racist Voicemail On Church Phone Pleads Not Guilty
Lloyd added she forgives the caller and prays for her.
"It's not a problem. We love her," she said. "And I'm praying that she get help. I'm praying for help for her."
Bail for Pellino was set at $5,000 cash or bond, Rivera reported. Her son said she is disabled and wheelchair-bound, and believes she is innocent.
