- Jan 10, 2002
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Warning.. you may get very angry reading this..
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/06-03/06-25-03/a01lo005.htm
Hate crime charges filed
Second suspect arrested in brutal beating
By RAY HENRY, Standard-Times staff writer
PETER PEREIRA/The Standard-Times
Ryan Marsh is arraigned yesterday in New Bedford District Court.
NEW BEDFORD -- A vicious robbery of a pizza delivery man escalated when the assailants mistook the graduate student for a Muslim, Fairhaven police said yesterday, as they filed hate crime charges against a second man arrested in the attack.
Police Chief Gary F. Souza said Ryan Marsh, 17, of 369 Brook St. was one of four men who helped ambush Saurabh Bhalerao, 24, a delivery man at Sarducci's Subs & Pizza on Pleasant Street.
Detectives spotted Mr. Marsh as he was riding in a car on King Street in New Bedford around 10 a.m. yesterday and arrested him, according to police reports.
The suspect's statements to police place him at the Weld Street home of Christopher Pereira, 20, on Sunday night. Using a phone in the house, police said Mr. Pereira ordered a chicken pizza from Sarducci's around 10:30 p.m. to lure a delivery man to an ambush.
When Mr. Bhalerao, an Indian, arrived with their order, two men shoved him into the apartment and pushed him to the floor.
"They mistook him for being Islamic and the savagery that occurred after that seemed to be initiated from their belief that he was a Muslim," Chief Souza said.
Even after Mr. Bhalerao was lying on the floor, at least four attackers continued to kick and beat him, he told police. At one point, one suspect hit him with a kitchen chair, Mr. Marsh told police.
The perpetrators also burned Mr. Bhalerao's body with lit cigarettes, police said.
The delivery man, a graduate student at UMass Dartmouth, tried to tell his attackers that he is a Hindu, not a Muslim, but they did not relent, Chief Souza said. Instead, one attacker stuffed his mouth with a sock, police reports said.
During an interview with police, Mr. Marsh said one of the attackers told Mr. Bhalerao to "Go back to your own country," according to court documents.
Mr. Bhalerao, who was recovering yesterday in the intensive care unit at Rhode Island Hospital, declined to comment. His face was swollen and stitched and he had difficulty moving.
Mr. Pereira was charged on Monday with kidnapping and assault with intent to maim, among other offenses. He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Investigators are still searching for two more suspects, said Robert C. Menzel Jr., an assistant Bristol County district attorney. The other suspects could also face hate crimes charges, he said.
In addition to Mr. Pereira, Mr. Marsh told Fairhaven police that two other men named "Tyrell" and "Chris" beat the delivery man, according to police reports.
Although Mr. Marsh claimed that he didn't hit Mr. Bhalerao, he agreed to drive the delivery man back to his Dartmouth home. But when Mr. Marsh didn't recognize the address, he said he decided to drive Mr. Bhalerao, bound in the trunk of his car, to Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, police reports said.
During the ride, Mr. Bhalerao managed to loosen the fisherman's rope binding his hands and feet and grabbed a hammer and screwdriver. When Mr. Marsh parked the car at the southern end of Green Street and opened the trunk, Mr. Bhalerao emerged, swung the hammer and opened a 12-stitch gash on Mr. Marsh's chin.
Stitches were visible on his chin during a court hearing yesterday.
Reaching into his pants pocket, Mr. Marsh told detectives that he drew a steak knife and stabbed the delivery man before fleeing.
The victim flagged down five teens driving in the neighborhood around 11:45 p.m. to summon help, witnesses said.
In addition to the hate crime charges, Mr. Marsh pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in New Bedford District Court to armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a knife and probation violations.
Mr. Marsh was previously arrested in January and pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of breaking and entering and one count of disturbing the peace.
He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 23.
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/06-03/06-25-03/a01lo005.htm
Hate crime charges filed
Second suspect arrested in brutal beating
By RAY HENRY, Standard-Times staff writer
PETER PEREIRA/The Standard-Times
Ryan Marsh is arraigned yesterday in New Bedford District Court.
NEW BEDFORD -- A vicious robbery of a pizza delivery man escalated when the assailants mistook the graduate student for a Muslim, Fairhaven police said yesterday, as they filed hate crime charges against a second man arrested in the attack.
Police Chief Gary F. Souza said Ryan Marsh, 17, of 369 Brook St. was one of four men who helped ambush Saurabh Bhalerao, 24, a delivery man at Sarducci's Subs & Pizza on Pleasant Street.
Detectives spotted Mr. Marsh as he was riding in a car on King Street in New Bedford around 10 a.m. yesterday and arrested him, according to police reports.
The suspect's statements to police place him at the Weld Street home of Christopher Pereira, 20, on Sunday night. Using a phone in the house, police said Mr. Pereira ordered a chicken pizza from Sarducci's around 10:30 p.m. to lure a delivery man to an ambush.
When Mr. Bhalerao, an Indian, arrived with their order, two men shoved him into the apartment and pushed him to the floor.
"They mistook him for being Islamic and the savagery that occurred after that seemed to be initiated from their belief that he was a Muslim," Chief Souza said.
Even after Mr. Bhalerao was lying on the floor, at least four attackers continued to kick and beat him, he told police. At one point, one suspect hit him with a kitchen chair, Mr. Marsh told police.
The perpetrators also burned Mr. Bhalerao's body with lit cigarettes, police said.
The delivery man, a graduate student at UMass Dartmouth, tried to tell his attackers that he is a Hindu, not a Muslim, but they did not relent, Chief Souza said. Instead, one attacker stuffed his mouth with a sock, police reports said.
During an interview with police, Mr. Marsh said one of the attackers told Mr. Bhalerao to "Go back to your own country," according to court documents.
Mr. Bhalerao, who was recovering yesterday in the intensive care unit at Rhode Island Hospital, declined to comment. His face was swollen and stitched and he had difficulty moving.
Mr. Pereira was charged on Monday with kidnapping and assault with intent to maim, among other offenses. He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Investigators are still searching for two more suspects, said Robert C. Menzel Jr., an assistant Bristol County district attorney. The other suspects could also face hate crimes charges, he said.
In addition to Mr. Pereira, Mr. Marsh told Fairhaven police that two other men named "Tyrell" and "Chris" beat the delivery man, according to police reports.
Although Mr. Marsh claimed that he didn't hit Mr. Bhalerao, he agreed to drive the delivery man back to his Dartmouth home. But when Mr. Marsh didn't recognize the address, he said he decided to drive Mr. Bhalerao, bound in the trunk of his car, to Fort Phoenix in Fairhaven, police reports said.
During the ride, Mr. Bhalerao managed to loosen the fisherman's rope binding his hands and feet and grabbed a hammer and screwdriver. When Mr. Marsh parked the car at the southern end of Green Street and opened the trunk, Mr. Bhalerao emerged, swung the hammer and opened a 12-stitch gash on Mr. Marsh's chin.
Stitches were visible on his chin during a court hearing yesterday.
Reaching into his pants pocket, Mr. Marsh told detectives that he drew a steak knife and stabbed the delivery man before fleeing.
The victim flagged down five teens driving in the neighborhood around 11:45 p.m. to summon help, witnesses said.
In addition to the hate crime charges, Mr. Marsh pleaded not guilty during his arraignment in New Bedford District Court to armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a knife and probation violations.
Mr. Marsh was previously arrested in January and pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of breaking and entering and one count of disturbing the peace.
He was held in lieu of $100,000 bail. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 23.