Today's News-Wednesday, December 16, 2009-updated 3:30pm

SHENANDOAH, PA. (AP) - A POLICE CHIEF CHARGED WITH TRYING TO COVER UP THE FATAL BEATING OF A MEXICAN IMMIGRANT BY WHITE TEENAGERS WAS NAMED IN A 2006 CIVIL SUIT THAT MADE A STARTLING CLAIM: BOROUGH POLICE BEAT TO DEATH A HISPANIC TEENAGER, THEN HUNG HIM FROM THE BARS OF HIS HOLDING CELL TO MAKE IT APPEAR A SUICIDE. POLICE CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR WAS NEVER CHARGED, BUT THE ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN THE LAWSUIT, IN TUESDAY'S INDICTMENT AND IN OTHER CIVIL CLAIMS DEPICT A POLICE DEPARTMENT WITH PERVASIVE HOSTILITY TO MINORITIES. THE 2006 SUIT NAMES NESTOR AND CAPT. JAMIE GENNARINI AS DEFENDANTS. THEY HAVE DENIED WRONGDOING. NESTOR AND TWO OTHER OFFICERS WERE CHARGED TUESDAY WITH ORCHESTRATING A COVER-UP AS THE FBI INVESTIGATED THE FATAL ATTACK ON LUIS
RAMIREZ.

FEDERAL INDICTMENTS

SEVENTEEN MONTHS AFTER THE BEATING DEATH OF A MEXICAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT IN SHENANDOAH, A FEDERAL GRAND JURY HANDS DOWN INDICTMENTS AGAINST TWO TEENAGERS INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT, AND SEVERAL SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICERS. THE CHARGES WERE UNSEALED LAST THURSDAY, AND ACCUSED OFFICERS ROUNDED UP BY THE FBI YESTERDAY. BRANDON PIEKARSKY AND DERRICK DONCHAK, BOTH SERVING SENTENCES AT SCHUYLKILL COUNTY PRISON ON SIMPLE ASSAULT CHARGES NOW FACE HATE CRIMES CHARGES IN THE BEATING DEATH OF LUIS RAMIREZ ON JULY 12, 2008. SHENANDOAH POLICE CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR, LT. WILLIAM MOYER AND OFFICER JASON HAYES ARE CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE IN THE INVESTIGATION. MOYER HAS ALSO BEEN CHARGED WITH WITNESS AND EVIDENCE TAMPERING AND LYING TO THE FBI, ACCORDING TO A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PRESS RELEASE. IF CONVICTED, DONCHAK AND PIEKARSKY FACE SIGNIFICANT PRISON TIME. DONCHAK, WHO ALSO HAD THREE ADDITIONAL CHARGES LODGED AGAINST HIM, FACES ADDITIONAL TIME ON EACH COUNT OF OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE AND CONSPIRING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE. THE OFFICERS WERE TAKEN TO COURT IN WILKES BARRE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE OFFICERS PLEADED NOT GUILTY, AND ADDITIONAL COURT PROCEEDINGS ARE SCHEDULED FOR TODAY. TRIAL FOR NESTOR, MOYER AND HAYES HAVE BEEN SET FOR FEBRUARY 16TH. DONCHAK AND PIEKARSKY ARE SLATED TO APPEAR IN COURT ON THE HATE CRIMES CHARGES ON DECEMBER 22ND.

EXTORTION CHARGES

TWO SENIOR SHENANDOAH POLICE OFFICIALS ARE FACING EXTORTION CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY DEMANDING MONEY FROM ILLEGAL BOOKMAKERS IN THE SHENANDOAH AREA. CHIEF MATTHEW NESTOR AND CAPT. JAMIE GENNARINI WERE INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY ON THE COUNTS THAT THEY OBSTRUCTED JUSTICE OF THE EXTORTION SCHEME. BOTH MEN ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE DEMANDED A $2-THOUSAND DOLLAR PAYMENT FROM A SHENANDOAH BUSINESSMAN AND HIS FAMILY IN EXCHANGE FOR RELEASING THE MAN FROM CUSTODY, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. EACH OF THE EXTORTION COUNTS CARRY A MAXIMUM 20 YEARS IN PRISON, PLUS 10 YEARS FOR THE CONSPIRACY TO VIOLATE THE BUSINESSMAN'S CIVIL RIGHTS.

POLICE COVERAGE

WITH TUESDAY'S INDICTMENTS, THE SHENANDOAH POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOWN TO THREE OFFICERS ON DUTY. SCHUYLKILL COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY JIM GOODMAN, WHO ORIGINALLY PROSECUTED THE TEENAGERS IN THE RAMIREZ CASE THIS SPRING, OFFERED NO COMMENT ON THE INDICTMENT, BUT TELLS WPPA/T102 NEWS THAT THEY ARE WORKING WITH STATE POLICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS OF SHENANDOAH HAVE ADEQUATE POLICE COVERAGE. REPORTS SAY THAT BOROUGH OFFICIALS WILL DISCUSS THE POLICE SITUATION IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT TONIGHT'S SPECIAL BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING.

REACTION

THE MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE FUND HAS BEEN AT THE CENTER OF THE RAMIREZ CASE SINCE IT HAPPENED IN JULY, 2008, PUSHING FOR A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENTS IN SHENANDOAH. AFTER THE GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS AGAINST BRANDON PIEKARSKY, DERRICK DONCHAK AND THREE SHENANDOAH POLICE WERE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, MALDEF STAFF ATTORNEY GLADYS LIMON SAYS THAT JUSTICE MAY FINALLY BE SERVED IN THE RAMIREZ BEATING CASE:

LIMON

MALDEF HAS BEEN REPRESENTING THE RAMIREZ FAMILY IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BEATING DEATH 17 MONTHS AGO. THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH LIMON CAN BE HEARD LATER THIS MORNING DURING STEP UP TO THE MIC ON WPPA.

ST CLAIR MAN INJURED
　
A ST CLAIR MAN SUFFERED MAJOR INJURIES IN A CRASH IN CASS TOWNSHIP JUST BEFORE 11 LAST NIGHT. IT HAPPENED ON HIGHRIDGE PARK ROAD, WHERE EDWARD HAUPTLY JR. LOST CONTROL ON A CURVE AND SLAMMED HEAD ON INTO A TREE HEAD ON. HAUPTLY WAS FLOWN TO GEISINGER MEDICAL CENTER.

WOMAN HURT IN BLYTHE TOWNSHIP CRASH

A WOMAN FROM EAST NORWEGIAN TOWNSHIP WAS HURT IN A CRASH YESTERDAY AFTERNOON ON MOUNTAIN ROAD IN BLYTHE TOWNSHIP. THE UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN WAS PINNED INSIDE THE CAR AFTER IT WENT OFF THE ROAD AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT, CAUSING IT TO BECOME AIRBORNE. THE CAR STRUCK A TREE WITH THE BACK END. THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN TO SCHUYLKILL MEDICAL CENTER-SOUTH.

THREE UNINJURED IN CRASH IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP

TWO CARS WERE INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP YESTERDAY MORNING. A 17 YEAR OLD JUVENILE FROM CRESSONA SLID ON THE GRAVEL ROAD AT THE INTERSECTION OF GREENVIEW ROAD AND HEMLOCK DRIVE AND STRUCK A SECOND VEHICLE OPERATED BY KELLEY MURPHY OF ORWIGSBURG. BOTH DRIVERS AND A PASSENGER IN THE FIRST VEHICLE WEREN'T HURT. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED BEFORE 8AM.

CAR BROKEN INTO

SEVERAL UNLOCKED VEHICLES IN NORTH MANHEIM TOWNSHIP WERE BURGLARIZED LAST NIGHT. CARS OWNED BY SHAWN ULMER AND RYAN RODGERS WERE PARKED ON ALBERT BOULEVARD, AND CASH AND ELECTRONIC ITEMS WERE TAKEN. THE SUSPECT WAS HEARD LEAVING THE SCENE. STATE POLICE AT SCHUYLKILL HAVEN ARE HANDLING THE INVESTIGATION.

KANE LEAVING SCHUYLKILL CHAMBER

A LONG TIME MEMBER OF THE SCHUYLKILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF IS LEAVING. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BOB CARL ANNOUNCED THE RESIGNATION OF LORI KANE AS COMMUNITY AND MEMBER RELATIONS DIRECTOR, AND HEAD OF THE CHAMBER FOUNDATION. KANE HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION WITH MCCANN SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY AS A TEACHER OF CURRICULUM TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. KANE IS LEAVING IN FEBRUARY. A SEARCH IS ALREADY UNDERWAY.

CASINO GAMBLING PASSES HOUSE

HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A BILL TO EXPAND CASINO GAMBLING IN PENNSYLVANIA HAS APPROVAL FROM THE STATE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE HOUSE VOTED 103-92 ON THE BILL AFTER FIVE-PLUS HOURS OF DEBATE TUESDAY. THE BILL HEADS TO THE SENATE, WHERE IT IS ALMOST
CERTAIN TO UNDERGO CHANGES. A VOTE THERE IS POSSIBLE AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY. THE MEASURE WOULD RAISE THE STATE'S NUMBER OF CASINO LICENSES FROM 14 TO 15 AND LEGALIZE TABLE GAMES AT PENNSYLVANIA'S SLOT-MACHINE CASINOS. THE LEGISLATION IS A KEY PIECE OF OCTOBER'S STATE BUDGET AGREEMENT. PROPONENTS SAY IT IS DESIGNED TO SCROUNGE REVENUE TO HELP SHORE UP THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S RECESSION-RAVAGED TAX COLLECTIONS. OPPONENTS SAY IT'S LARDED WITH FAVORS FOR CASINO OWNERS AND THE PET CAUSES OF CERTAIN LAWMAKERS, AND THAT FINANCING GOVERNMENT WITH
GAMBLING MONEY IS UNWISE. STATE REPRESENTATIVES NEAL GOODMAN AND TIM SEIP VOTED FOR THE MEASURE, WHILE JERRY KNOWLES VOTED AGAINST IT.


HARRISBURG, PA. (AP) - A TOP STATE HOUSE LAWMAKER WHO IS AMONG THE LATEST TO BE CHARGED IN A LEGISLATIVE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION SAYS HE IS RESIGNING HIS POST AS DEMOCRATIC WHIP.BILL DEWEESE MADE THE COMMENTS AFTER ASKING TO SPEAK TO COLLEAGUES ON THE HOUSE FLOOR
DURING A SESSION LAST NIGHT. HE'S CHARGED WITH THEFT, CONSPIRACY AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - THE OWNERS OF THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER AND PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS ARE BATTLING CREDITORS FOR CONTROL. THE
LONG-RUNNING DISPUTE REACHED A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT YESTERDAY.
LAWYERS ARGUED OVER THE BANKRUPTCY CODE AND HOW IT CAN BE INTERPRETED IN THIS CASE. CREDITORS WANT THE RIGHT TO USE $300 MILLION OWED TO THEM TO BID FOR THE PAPERS.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A FORMER PHILADELPHIA DETECTIVE WILL SPEND A YEAR IN PRISON FOR ACCEPTING $34,000 IN SECRET PAYMENTS AND LOANS FROM OFFICIALS OF A CHARTER SCHOOL. FORMER DETECTIVE KEVIN O'SHEA IS SERVING A THREE-YEAR TERM FOR TAKING ABOUT $900,000 IN KICKBACKS, HOME REPAIRS AND OTHER PAYMENTS, ON TOP OF HIS $200,000 SCHOOL SALARY.

WASHINGTON (AP) - HOUSE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WILL BE GRAPPLING OVER THEIR DISAGREEMENTS ON DEFICIT SPENDING TODAY. THE AGENDA INCLUDES A FLOOR VOTE ON A $200 BILLION INCREASE IN THE FEDERAL DEBT CEILING. A HOUSE VOTE IS ALSO EXPECTED ON NEARLY $50 BILLION IN NEW SPENDING ON HIGHWAYS, HOUSING, SCHOOL REPAIRS AND OTHER PROJECTS MEANT TO CREATE JOBS.

WASHINGTON (AP) - IN THE SENATE, DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE IDEA THEY WON'T GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT FROM A NEARLY $1 TRILLION HEALTH CARE OVERHAUL. MEANWHILE, SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID IS STILL TRYING TO SECURE THE 60 VOTES HE NEEDS. HE'S HOPING TO GET THE MEASURE PASSED BY NEXT WEEK.

TEHRAN, IRAN (AP) - IRAN SAYS IT HAS SUCCESSFULLY TESTED WHAT IT CALLS AN UPGRADED VERSION OF ITS LONGEST-RANGE, SOLID-FUEL MISSILE. THE HIGH-SPEED MISSILE'S REPORTED 1,200-MILE RANGE INCLUDES SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE AND ISRAEL.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - A U.S. OFFICIAL SAYS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS WRITTEN A PERSONAL LETTER TO NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG IL. THE OFFICIAL ISN'T REVEALING THE LETTER'S CONTENTS, BUT SAYS THE NOTE WAS PART OF WASHINGTON'S LATEST BID TO PERSUADE NORTH KOREA TO RETURN TO NUCLEAR TALKS.

COPENHAGEN (AP) - DANISH POLICE SAY HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS ARE TRYING TO DISRUPT TALKS ON A NEW GLOBAL WARMING DEAL IN COPENHAGEN. THE DEMONSTRATORS SAY THEY WANT TO TAKE OVER THE U.N. SUMMIT AND TURN IT INTO A "PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY."