Brandon J. Piekarsky and Derrick M. Donchak, charged by Federal Prosecutors with a Hate Crime in connection with the July 2008 "Kick in the Head" death of Luis Ramirez, will be tried in Scranton instead of their hometown Wilkes-Barre, a judge ruled last Thursday. In 2009, both were given only 6 month sentences by their hometown jury for the murder.Both Piekarsky and Donchak will be tried in October in Courtroom 1 of the William J. Nealon Federal Building and United States Courthouse, Senior U.S. District Judge A. Richard Caputo ruled in a one-sentence order. Caputo, who is presiding over the trial, did not explain the reason for the change. Caputo did not change the scheduled start of the trial, which is 9:30 a.m. Oct. 4.
Donchak, 20, of Shenandoah, and Piekarsky, 18, of Shenandoah Heights, are each charged with a HATE CRIME due to their alleged "Kick in the Head" beating and hurling of Racial slurs in the July 12, 2008, beating of Latino Luis Ramirez on West Lloyd Street, Shenandoah. Donchak also is charged with obstruction of justice.
Ramirez, 25, of Shenandoah, died two days after the "Kick in the Heat" beating and head injuries at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Donchak, 20, of Shenandoah, and Piekarsky, 18, of Shenandoah Heights, are each charged with a HATE CRIME due to their alleged "Kick in the Head" beating and hurling of Racial slurs in the July 12, 2008, beating of Latino Luis Ramirez on West Lloyd Street, Shenandoah. Donchak also is charged with obstruction of justice.
Ramirez, 25, of Shenandoah, died two days after the "Kick in the Heat" beating and head injuries at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Change of venue is all. Wilkes-Barre and Scranton are right next door to one another and share the same jury pool. Doesn't make a lot of sense on the surface.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, maybe these idiots will get some big boy time this go around