UPDATE DEC. 27: A grand jury has indicted Michael T. Amatullo on two counts of felony unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of misdemeanor second-degree intimidation and two counts of misdemeanor menacing.

A 60-year-old Southeast Portland man faces hate crimes charges, accused of repeatedly yelling the n-word at an 8-year-old African American boy and later his 14-year-old brother.

Michael T. Amatullo, who is white, ended up raising a butcher knife as he stood 6 to 7 feet away, prompting the boys to run and hide under a nearby stairwell at their apartment complex, according to a probable cause affidavit. The boys then called 911 from their hiding place Tuesday, police said.

Amatullo and the boys are neighbors. Amatullo was booked into jail Tuesday afternoon, then released later that day.

He was arraigned on two counts of misdemeanor menacing and two counts of second-degree intimidation, which is a hate crime. He pleaded not guilty during a hearing Wednesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the 8-year-old was taking out the trash when Amatullo began screaming that the youngster was staring at him. Amatullo then directed the racial slur at him, authorities say. The 14-year-old brother intervened and Amatullo called him the slur, according to the affidavit.

The teen yelled back; Amatullo said he would beat up the teen if he kept it up; and Amatullo threatened the brothers with the knife, the affidavit states.

A police officer arrested Amatullo. The officer asked Amatullo if he thought of himself as a racist and Amatullo responded with a racist tirade, according to the affidavit. Amatullo told police that he’d had a confrontation with the boys and that he’d grabbed the knife because the 14-year-old had threatened him, according to the affidavit.

Amatullo also had called 911.

After his court appearance, Amatullo told The Oregonian/OregonLive that he’d had an ongoing disagreement with the family and that the 14-year-old had called him a racially charged name. He said he hadn’t planned to chase the boys with the knife, but he was willing to use it if they entered his apartment.

“I’m going to defend myself ... even if it means stabbing someone to death,” Amatullo said. “You can defend yourself in your home.”

Amatullo has declined to be represented by a court-appointed lawyer.

“Whatever is going to happen is going to happen,” Amatullo said. “The DA is going to do what he’s going to do.”

Amatullo’s criminal history encompasses 12 felonies and five misdemeanors for crimes that include burglary and theft. Almost all of his convictions predate 2002. Amatullo told jailers that he lives off Social Security disability, was honorably discharged from the military and has been diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

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