Hate, Violence, and Death on Main Street USA - National Coalition ...

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APRILHATE, VIOLENCE, AND DEATH ON MAIN STREET USA2008Ft. Lauderdale, FloridaHomeless Men Violently Harassed with Chainsaw on Numerous OccasionApril 5: Stephen Sticht, 49, of Ft. Lauderdale Florida has been ordered by Broward Circiut JudgeJulio Gonzalez, Jr. to stay away from five homeless men <strong>and</strong> to surrender all weapons to authorities.The homeless men have complained to the police department on several occasions that Stichtchases them with chainsaws, pistols, <strong>and</strong> the homeless men believe he has put up “Wanted” postersof the men around town with captions reading “crack head, prostitute, <strong>and</strong> self-serving type.” Stichtdefends his actions, saying that the homeless men are consistently around his property <strong>and</strong> that hehas tried to get them to leave the area. He says that the men are lying <strong>and</strong> making up theiraccusations. “It’s a witch hunt. These guys are crack heads. All these allegations are fabrications.Its like they came up with this gr<strong>and</strong>iose story <strong>and</strong> now I am made out to be the bad guy.” The fivehomeless men claimed that Sticht walked around the area where they slept at night with a spotlight,br<strong>and</strong>ishing a knife <strong>and</strong> firing a gun. The men believe that Sticht put up the Wanted Postersbecause they saw him taking their photographs. While several of the homeless men have criminalrecords, one of the men says “We might have colorful pasts or addictions, but we do have rights,same as [Sticht] does.” Sticht has also been arrested for trespassing with a dangerous weapon in1999, but the charge was reduced to misdemeanor trespassing. Several large organizations,including the NAACP, ACLU, <strong>and</strong> Public Defender Howard Finklestein have created a coalition totry <strong>and</strong> get the Ft. Lauderdale police to protect the homeless population better. President of theBroward NAACP, Marsha Ellison, says “surely, another homeless person doesn’t have to die beforethe police do something.” The court date has been set for April 17 th .Cumberl<strong>and</strong>, Maryl<strong>and</strong>Teens Nearly Kill Homeless Man with Baseball Bat <strong>and</strong> KnivesApril 10: A Cumberl<strong>and</strong>, Maryl<strong>and</strong> woman responded to screams for help beneath the McMullenBridge at 4 a.m., <strong>and</strong> ran to a nearby gas station to call the police. When officers arrived to where ahomeless man had been badly beaten, they found Benjamin Berry, 23, Brian Shafer, 20, <strong>and</strong> a 16year-old boy nearby. Berry <strong>and</strong> Shafer have been charged with attempted first degree murder <strong>and</strong>assault. If the 16 year-old is tried as an adult, he will face the same charges. A baseball bat, threeknives <strong>and</strong> a steel bar were found at the scene. The woman, according to Lt. Greg Leake, saved thehomeless man’s life. The homeless man was treated at a local hospital for severe injuries.Clevel<strong>and</strong>, OhioHomeless Man Beaten with Nail Studded BoardApril 12: Eugene Clemens, 55, a homeless man in Ohio, was beat by a couple males aged 19-20with boards containing nails for five minutes <strong>and</strong> then passed out in a nearby cafeteria. He was toldby police not to submit a report because he couldn’t identify the attackers <strong>and</strong> the police couldn’tarrest anyone. He was taken to the hospital to be treated for a broken wrist, but the gaping wounds75
HATE, VIOLENCE, AND DEATH ON MAIN STREET USA2008that were also on his body were not treated <strong>and</strong> they are now infected, according to an incidentreport form from the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless.Key West, FloridaTwo Homeless Men Assaulted Outside Fast Food RestaurantApril 27: Two teenagers attacked two homeless men outside a Wendy’s fast food restaurant in KeyWest, Florida at 1:20 a.m. One of the teenagers had a dark Mohawk, <strong>and</strong> is known on the street as“Lucky.” The other teen has not been identified, but is thin with tattoos on his head <strong>and</strong> neck. Thetwo teens started arguing with the homeless men as they walked out of the restaurant, <strong>and</strong> one of theteens pulled out a knife. The two victims were found walking down the street injured.MAYSacramento, CaliforniaTwo Homeless Men Attacked for Their Transgender StatusMay 27: William Lee Johnson, 34, attacked two transgender homeless men on May 27 th inSacramento, California. Johnson was arrested after one of his victims stabbed him in the leg,inflicting a non-life threatening injury. According to police, Johnson is a “validated skinhead.” Hewas taken to Sacramento County Jail on the suspicion of robbery, battery against a peace officer,<strong>and</strong> committing what is commonly referred to as a hate crime.Nashville, TennesseeHomeless Man Attacked by TeenagersMay 28: A 50 year-old homeless man was attacked by a group of adolescents, hitting him on thehead with bottles. The man lives in the Nashville, TN area <strong>and</strong> was taken to the hospital <strong>and</strong> then tothe Guest House for recovery.Waltham, MassachusettsHomeless Man Stabbed <strong>and</strong> Rushed to HospitalMay 30: Thomas Vasile, 20, from Waltham, MA, was arraigned yesterday in district court for thestabbing of Richard Schroter, 36. Vasile claims that Schroter insulted him <strong>and</strong> his mother who wereboth waiting outside Labor Ready looking for work. Schroter <strong>and</strong> Vasile knew each other beforethis incident, when Schroter lived with Vasile before he was evicted by his mother, according tocourt documents. Schroter had serious injuries from the attack <strong>and</strong> was taken to Boston MedicalCenter for treatment <strong>and</strong> emergency surgery. A knife believed to have been used during the attackwas found under a parked car near the Tiki Bar entrance. A judge ordered Vasile to go to aBridgewater facility for 20 days <strong>and</strong> then will return to court.76
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