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July 15, 2008
Today's Man on the Street Moment
"He didn't know why he did it..."
A bicycle-riding Miami Beach man has been charged under a hate crime law after police say he slapped at a rabbi and blurted out an obscene epithet.
Pichardo Dearmas, 49, was charged last weekend with assault with prejudice, a misdemeanor.
On Monday afternoon, he was being held at Miami-Dade County Jail on $1,000 bail.
Rabbi Abraham S. Mann -- wearing a black-brimmed hat and black knee-length overcoat -- was walking on the Venetian Causeway between Dilido Island and Rivo Alto Island at about 8 a.m. Saturday, according to a Miami Beach police report released Monday.
Mann, 36, of Miami Beach and formerly of the Hallandale Jewish Center, could not be reached for comment.
Dearmas, a convicted burglar from Miami Beach with a lengthy rap sheet, was riding his bicycle coming up behind Mann. About two or three feet away, he ''slapped at the victim with his right hand/arm'' while blurting out ''You f-----g Jew,'' the report said.
The report does not say whether Dearmas made physical contact with the rabbi.
Miami Beach police stopped Dearmas on Dilido Island, where he admitted in Spanish ''he didn't know why he did it,'' according to a report by Officer William Watson.
Dearmas has been arrested more than 40 times dating back to 1985. He has served four state prison stints, the last a one-year sentence for grand theft.
He sports tattoos of a spider, a clown and, on his back, Jesus Christ.
Florida's hate-crime laws were enacted in 1989 after a rash of vandalism at Jewish synagogues. A person charged under the hate crime law faces a more severe penalty -- in this case, the charge is upgraded from a second-degree to a first-degree misdemeanor.
A conviction of first-degree means jail time of up to one year.
So, he's facing a sentence of 365 days worth of three hots and a cot on the public dime, and he didn't know why he did it? I know why he did it.
Judging by his behavior, it would be my guess that the Jesus tattoo is no reflection of his personal beliefs and is likely there only to cover up a really bad case of backne.
Posted by LindaSoG at July 15, 2008 07:24 AM
Comments
Absolutely agree that his TAT has nothing whatsoever to do with his beliefs. I find it interesting that Florida has such stringent laws regarding hate crimes. Way to go Florida!
Posted by: dammitwoman at July 15, 2008 01:55 PM
"Dearmas has been arrested more than 40 times dating back to 1985. He has served four state prison stints, the last a one-year sentence for grand theft."
He must miss the companionship of his kind, but it's evident that nether he nor the revolving door judicial system have any effect on his behavior. Send the ratbastard to Joe Arpaio's Arizona work farm for a couple years instead of to the Florida hotel.
Posted by: Jack at July 15, 2008 03:07 PM
Jack - Good point! Definitely need to make a "believer" out of that maggot...
Posted by: dammitwoman at July 15, 2008 03:17 PM
Send him to us, the KisP'rs will take good care of him
Posted by: cuchieddie at July 15, 2008 03:38 PM