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Man Accused Of Stonewall Beating Sounds Like A Real Winner
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Feb 9, 2011
Modified Feb 9, 2011
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Feb 9, 2011
Modified Feb 9, 2011
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Hey, remember that 21-year-old Staten Island guy who said "We don't like gay bars," before beating up a gay man inside of the most famous gay bar in the world? We don't want to shock you, but he has been charged with assault. This time of a homeless man. And two cops. All because a drug deal went bad.
Matthew Francis is currently out on bail awaiting prosecution on hate crime charges for the Stonewall incident, but was arrested early yesterday morning after he and another guy allegedly beat up a homeless man on Forest and Decker avenues. The man was allegedly trying to buy drugs from the two, but the "deal went south" and they began to beat on him. Cops patrolling the area spotted the violence and moved in for an arrest. Francis allegedly resisted arrest, sitting on his hands and kicking an officer so hard he injured his finger. He was finally subdued with pepper spray, but allegedly punched another officer when they got to the precinct and they tried to put him in a holding cell.
Francis was arraigned on two counts of second-degree assault, three counts of second-degree harassment, and single counts of third-degree assault and resisting arrest, and is held on $50,000 bail. Francis's attorney Mark Geisser claims Francis was arrested in error because the two men were wearing football jerseys and "there were a lot of people wearing jerseys" in the hours after the Super Bowl. He also claims officer Anthony Egan was aggressive and "very quick to use his hands." And in case you're inclined to think poorly of Francis after this, just remember that his sister is a full blown lesbian and he doesn't discriminate.
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matthew francis
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staten island
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