Shenandoah Teens Dismissal Hearing
The three teenagers charged as adults in Shenandoah, Derrick Donchak, Colin Walsh, and Brandon Piekarsky, asked to have the charges dismissed. A hearing was scheduled for 9:30am this morning (11/13/08).
Two friends drove an hour to my house, where another friend and I waited. The four of us drove another hour to Pottsville to witness the goings-on of this dismissal hearing.
When we first arrived, I recognized some of the wonderful people I've met and have been keeping in touch with. I am happy to say the families are remaining strong and supportive!
I overheard someone talking about a plea bargain. As I listened, I learned that only yesterday, the District Attorney offered a sweet deal to the boys. Apparently, he was willing to drop everything but assault and ethnic intimidation, with a sentence of ten months in county prison. Wow. I guess even the DA knows he has NO CASE against these boys, but since he's up for election as a judge, he needs SOME kind of conviction on them.
We entered the courtroom, and waited and waited. Then we waited some more. After about an hour and a half of waiting, I found out that the judge, attorneys, and DA were in judge's chambers downstairs. Here's where this whole situation gets really whacky:
The DA wanted the plea deal, the defense was wholeheartedly considering it, and the judge was willing to approve it. Then MALDEF and the Department of Justice (DOJ) called Crystal Dillman (self-titled "fiancee" of Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala) and Ramirez Zavala's mother in Mexico who used an interpreter. Both Momma Ramirez and Dillman fought against the plea deal because it wasn't harsh enough. Well, I'll be ..
Since WHEN does the American judicial process get halted by racist, ethnocentric brown supremacy groups? Why is the DOJ working WITH anti-American, racist groups?
Back to the courtroom: we waited still for the hearing to start, or to get word of any plea bargains being accepted. Finally, the ten-minute hearing began. The judge told the DA he has several items to answer, within ten days, and the judge named off several numbers that apparently correlate to a packet of papers they had. I found out later on that some of those numbers included the DA handing over evidence to support the charges of homicide and ethnic intimidation. The judge will also consider severing the trials, so they might be tried separately.
We then went out into the hallway, where a slew of reporters with cameras waited for the teens to be led out of the courtroom. Once the boys had passed, the reporters asked some of us to interview on camera. My friend, Debby Rabold gave striking interviews with several of them. I spoke to Bob Reynolds from WNEP. Much to my surprise, they actually included some of what I said! LOL!
To see the interview: WNEP "Beating Death Suspects in Court"
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