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Vol. 75/No. 19      May 16, 2011

 
Youth sentenced in racist killing,
cops who covered it up are next
 
BY JANET POST  
PHILADELPHIA—The three defendants in the 2008 killing of immigrant worker Luis Ramírez of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, have now been sentenced. Derrick Donchak, 21, and Brandon Piekarsky, 19, received terms of nine years in federal prison February 23. Colin Walsh, 19, was sentenced April 6 to 55 months.

Ramírez, originally from Mexico, had worked in the region’s factories and fields for six years. He was beaten to death by a gang of white youth who targeted him because he was Latino. An all-white jury in a state court acquitted Donchak and Piekarsky in May 2009 of most charges and instead convicted them of simple assault. Walsh confessed to taking part in the assault and testified against both Donchak and Piekarsky and against cops who helped cover up the crime. He was convicted of violating Ramírez’s civil rights.

Ramírez’s friends, family, and supporters pressed for justice, holding protests and commemorations. Federal prosecutors indicted Donchak and Piekarsky in December 2009. They also charged Police Chief Matthew Nestor, Lt. William Moyer, and Officer Jason Hayes with covering up what happened the night Ramírez died.

Nestor was found guilty of falsifying records and Moyer of lying to the FBI. Their sentencing is June 1. Hayes was acquitted. Donchak, Piekarsky, Nestor, and Moyer have filed appeals.
 
 
Related articles:
Workers, youth join May Day demonstrations across the U.S.
Massachusetts Democrats push antiunion bill  
 
 
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