Thread: PA-Groups call for probe of another beating

Groups call for probe of beating




BY LESLIE RICHARDSON
AND DUSTIN PANGONIS
STAFF WRITERS
Published: Wednesday, September 17, 2008 4:15 AM EDT
A Hispanic advocacy group is calling for an investigation into another alleged beating in Shenandoah.

Borough police are investigating an alleged attack of a man, who has admitted to lying about the details of the incident, and interviewing a female borough resident in connection with the case.

Police said Javier Alcala Jr., 21, of 36 W. Coal St., originally claimed he was abducted from a borough street and beaten, but later claimed he was attacked inside a borough residence.

According to police, Officer George Carado received a call about 5:04 a.m. Friday from a friend of Alcala, who was taken to Saint Catherine Medical Center Fountain Springs for treatment.

At the hospital, Alcala told police he was kidnapped near Centre and West streets around 4 p.m. by three men in a black Ford Expedition. He said he was blindfolded and his arms and legs were duct-taped.

Alcala said he was taken to the outskirts of Shenandoah, where the men assaulted him and left him at the end of South Chestnut Street. Alcala said he was able to free himself and called a friend to take him to the hospital.

Police said Alcala later revealed he lied about the kidnapping details and, after further interviews, police determined the assault occurred at 18 S. Chestnut St., where Alcala arrived with a female acquaintance.

Alcala said he arrived at the home and was jumped by the men, who struck him on the head, bound him with duct tape on his legs and arms, and blindfolded him with duct tape.

According to the search warrant, the three men later used a drill to twist Alcala’s pants leg and were preparing to burn his feet when one of the men said Alcala was not the person they intended to assault.

Alcala said he was beaten to the point of unconsciousness and woke up later at the south end of Chestnut Street.

Nestor said Alcala’s immigration status is still under investigation and may have played a part in him not telling the truth in the original complaint.

According to police, Alcala said the incident was not racially motivated.

However, both the League of United Latin American Citizens and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund have called for the Department of Justice to make a federal civil rights investigation into the incident.

Two months ago, MALDEF also called for an investigation into the July 12 beating of Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala, 25, an illegal Mexican immigrant who died from his injuries two days later. Four local teens have been charged in connection to that beating, which officials allege had racial overtones.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Jamie Hais wrote in an e-mail Tuesday that the Criminal Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is opening an investigation into the Friday incident. FBI spokeswoman Jerri Williams said that an FBI agent from the Allentown Resident Agency is also reviewing the attack, but has not yet opened an investigation.

MALDEF staff attorney Gladys Limon said the organization was made aware of the assault on Alcala after a community member called Saturday.

“We have not received any information as of yet that indicates that this was racially motivated,â€

Borough police are investigating an alleged attack of a man, who has admitted to lying about the details of the incident, and interviewing a female borough resident in connection with the case.

Which is obviously a continuing trend to gain sympathy and make any situation worse than what it is. I have yet to read 1 story comming from them where a goodly portion of the story hasn't been left out, glossed over or a total lie to maintain the "poor victim" role.

Just like the girl who falsely cried rape with the college students, it's getting time to fight back against the false claims the supposid "victims" are making.

MALDEF AND LULAC are already getting egg on their face on this one. This sounds more like an illegal alien gang attack than angry Americans.

W

MALDEF AND LULAC are already getting egg on their face on this one. This sounds more like an illegal alien gang attack than angry Americans.

I haven't seen any of their stances or accusations come through clean after it's really looked into. You'd think they'd smarten up and check first before they started going off the deep end.

According to the search warrant, the three men later used a drill to twist Alcala’s pants leg and were preparing to burn his feet when one of the men said Alcala was not the person they intended to assault

. Maldelf & Lulac are race-baiting here and inciting hatred. Notice NO descriptions of the alleged attackers were published? How was this man able to understand what his alleged "kidnappers" were saying? Sounds like a latino on latino crime.

The blurb that he was not the intended person blows the "hate crime" label out of the water. [/quote]

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

MALDEF AND LULAC d are already getting egg on their face on this one. This sounds more like an illegal alien gang attack than angry Americans.

W

It's now coming out that this was a case of mistaken identity. The attackers thought Alcala was a drug dealer name "Chewy." When they realized Alcala was the wrong guy, they let him go. Then they went and FOUND Chewy and beat the Christ out of him. Chewy didn't report the incident because it was drug-related (but he might now that the story is getting out).

2 arrested in Shen assault




BY LESLIE RICHARDSON
STAFF WRITER
Published: Thursday, September 18, 2008 4:16 AM EDT
Borough police charged two people Wednesday in connection with the Friday kidnapping and assault of Javier Alcala Jr., 21, of 36 W. Coal St.

According to police reports, Alcala was lured to a Shenandoah home where he was bound, beaten and taken to a parking lot and left there. Alcala has changed his account of the incident once. Police said more charges may be filed in the case, which remains under investigation.

Thus far, Elizabeth Iacobucci, 36, of 18 S. Chestnut St., Shenandoah, and Michael Bubnis, 48, of 509 W. Centre St., Mahanoy City, were arraigned before Magisterial District Judge James Reilly early Wednesday morning.

Iacobucci was charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and harassment.

Bubnis was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution.

Both were committed to Schuylkill County Prison just before 4 a.m. Wednesday. Bubnis was unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail and Iacobucci was unable to post $100,000 straight cash bail.

A tentative hearing date has been set for 10 a.m. Sept. 26 with Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker, Shenandoah.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, at 5:04 a.m. Friday, Shenandoah police Patrolman George Carado received an assignment to call April Tovar. Tovar said she was a friend of Alcala and that she was with him at Saint Catherine Medical Center, Fountain Springs.

She said Alcala came to her house about 3:45 a.m. and told her he had been assaulted by three males, whom he assumed to be white based on their voices, while inside a home at 18 S. Chestnut St. At some point he was taken from the house and dropped off in a parking lot in the 300 block of South Chestnut Street.

According to Chief Matthew Nestor, Alcala was released from the hospital a few hours after the incident.

About 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Carado spoke to Alcala at his home with the help of a translator, Union Township police Officer Maria Arecena.

Through Arecena, Alcala said Iacobucci came to his house about midnight and asked Alcala to go with her to get a pack of cigarettes. After buying the cigarettes, she invited him back to her house to see her dogs. They entered through the front door with Iacobucci entering first. She walked through the living room and into the kitchen toward the stairs.

When Alcala entered, he said he was struck on the back of the head with a metal object. After he fell to the floor, duct tape was placed over his eyes. He stood up and tried to run to the door but was knocked down and repeatedly kicked and struck on the back with a metal object, he said.

The attackers bound his legs and arms with duct tape, he said. While on the floor, he heard a hand-held torch being ignited and held near his feet and his shoes and socks were removed.

However, one of the males said, “This is not Luis,â€