Thread: Shenandoah Teens want charges dismissed

BY PETER E. BORTNER
STAFF WRITER
pbortner@republicanherald.com
Published: Thursday, November 6, 2008 4:16 AM EST
Three young men charged in connection with the fatal July beating of a Mexican immigrant in Shenandoah will be in Schuylkill County Court next week trying to have charges against them dismissed, District Attorney James P. Goodman said Wednesday.

Brandon J. Piekarsky, 16, and Colin J. Walsh, 17, both of Shenandoah Heights, and Derrick M. Donchak, 18, of Shenandoah, will appear before President Judge William E. Baldwin on Nov. 13, Goodman said.

Roger Laguna, Harrisburg, Walsh’s lawyer, confirmed the hearing would be in front of Baldwin. He declined to comment on it.

Frederick J. Fanelli, Pottsville, and Jeffrey M. Markosky, Mahanoy City, Piekarsky’s and Donchak’s lawyers, respectively, were unavailable Wednesday afternoon for comment on the case.

Piekarsky and Walsh are charged with criminal homicide and other offenses, and Donchak is charged with aggravated assault and other offenses, in connection with the death of Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala, 25, of Shenandoah.

Schuylkill County detectives allege the three — as well as a fourth teen charged as a juvenile — beat and yelled racial epithets at Ramirez on July 12. Ramirez died two days later at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

Piekarsky and Walsh are charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and ethnic intimidation. Piekarsky also is charged with criminal solicitation/hindering apprehension or prosecution and purchase, consumption, possession or transportation of liquor.

The two most serious degrees of criminal homicide, first- and second-degree murder, have been dropped against both Piekarsky and Walsh, leaving third-degree murder as the most serious remaining homicide charge.

Donchak is charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, criminal solicitation/hindering apprehension or prosecution, ethnic intimidation, corruption of minors, purchase or consumption of alcohol by a minor and selling or furnishing alcohol to minors.

All three are free on bail.

The case has focused national attention on Shenandoah and the issue of legal and illegal immigration.

Pottsville R&H

Comments section at the link

PS Some patriots are going to gather at the courthouse at 9am in expectation of the militant latinos appearance again.

Stupid article "forgot" to mention that the Illegal was drunk and instigating the fight with the group! I would not expect any different form anyone else that gets threatened by a drunk out of control scuzball!

Originally Posted by 93camaro

Stupid article "forgot" to mention that the Illegal was drunk and instigating the fight with the group! I would not expect any different form anyone else that gets threatened by a drunk out of control scuzball!

Amen to that. I've already gotten email requests for time and meet-up place.

9am, in front of the Schuylkill County courthouse. ANyone who might need a ride down from the Hazleton area should send me a private message and we'll make arrangements.