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CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - A Pennsylvania man was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for the 2006 attack of a vacationing black police officer in Sea Isle City.

But Jason J. Caron told Superior Court Judge Raymond Batten that the assault was not motivated by the victim's race.

"I did not say anything racial. Nothing was racially motivated," Caron said before being sentenced. "That is not me. That's not who I am."

Assistant Prosecutor Matthew D. Weintraub, however, said the victims, including Jarreau Francis, a black off-duty officer from Cheltenham Township, Pa., and other witnesses told investigators that racial slurs were said as Francis and two of his fellow officers, both white, were attacked.

Weintraub said Francis was minding his own business when he was "accosted for no reason" while "racial epithets were directed toward him."

Francis and two other Cheltenham officers, Francis Donato and Thomas Byrne, were the victims of the assault, which took place in the early morning hours of Aug. 22, 2006, along the 3800 block of Central Avenue in Sea Isle City.

Francis was struck with a bat, but Caron did not admit to hitting Francis or to shouting any racial epithets. Caron did, however, admit that he struck Byrne in the knee with a baseball bat.

He told the judge in February that afterward, "I took off running and chucked the baseball bat over a fence."

Caron, 28, said he was in Sea Isle City that day, staying at a vacation home, when his friend, Thomas Russo, called him multiple times saying he had been in an altercation at a bar and needed help.

Caron, joined by Keith Hoffman, Lindsay Moffitt and John Hamilton, drove to the scene, and Caron asked Russo where the people were who attacked him.

"He pointed at the crowd," Caron said. Next, they went after at least three people, and Caron said he saw at least one person strike Francis.

Weintraub said Friday that the case was a difficult one for investigators, who did not have many of the facts for months, even years, after the event.

After plea negotiations between Weintraub and defense attorney Darrin Lord, Caron, originally charged with bias intimidation, a first-degree crime, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

"Justice delayed does not necessarily mean justice denied," Weintraub said of the time that has passed since the assault.

Batten, noting that Caron had been drinking alcohol prior to the assault, said Caron's previous contacts with the law included a disorderly persons offense and ordinance violations that had some link to his use of alcohol.

Batten called the August 2006 assault unnecessary and avoidable. He then sentenced Caron to three years in prison. Caron was taken away in handcuffs as his family looked on.

In May 2008, Hoffman and Russo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, a third-degree crime, and both men identified Caron as the third attacker. They will receive probationary sentences and have agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

Moffitt was originally charged with obstruction and hindering apprehension, and later entered the pretrial intervention program. No charges were filed against Hamilton.

Initially, police charged Russo, Hoffman and another man, Vincent Giordano, with the attack, but the charges against Giordano were dropped in December 2006 after investigators learned Giordano had been misidentified.

Weintraub had said investigators had a hard time determining "who did what to the victims."

E-mail Trudi Gilfillian:

TGilfillian@pressofac.com

8 comments:

• Lumpedup1 (3) posts 7:03 pm

  (continued) People like Mr. Weintraub will continue to fuel this hatred just to further his career. It is amazing to me that the judge goes along with this behavior. In my opinion, and it's just an opinion, Mr. Weintraub and Judge Batan should be ashamed of themselves and congratulations for Mr. Weintraub on his sleezy win. No one is trying to minimize Mr. Caron's actions, but the fueled by alcohol and poor decisions by all four the these individuals. What is really amazing is that Judge Batan gives a man 4 months of taking advantage of children and video taping it and feels that this person is not a threat to the community. I have to say that I am personally ashamed of the judicial system in Cape May County and saddened that these people represent the citizens of this county. Maybe Mr. Weintraub should take a sensitivity class and realize that winning isn't everything. Not at the cost of a young man's future and freedom. J. W. Eichmann

• Lumpedup1 (3) posts 7:00 pm

  The article states that it took so long to "solve" this case because they didn't have all of the facts. Sad but true, they still don't have all the facts. They made this bar fight into a high profile "hate crime" by the press and investigators who had no idea of what actually took place and still don't. The three off duty, out of state, out of uniform, drinking with the rest of the people at the bars that night were also on vacation just like everyone else. At least Mr. Caron owned up to his responsibility in the incident, unlike the cowards who were quick to sell out the friend of many years. The friend that came to help when they were in trouble. With friends like that who needs enemies. All involved should have been held accountable for their actions, if one goes free they should all go free, if one gets time, they should all get time. All involved should have had been brought in front of the judge at the same time. Would he still have let three walk and one stay behind? How is justice really served? This is 2009 in the United States of America, Mr. Weintraub turns this into a hate crime knowing full well that there were 21 phone calls received by Mr. Caron that a friend was in trouble. It's people like Mr. Weintraub that fuel these racist views. In a time where every major city in the United States has black, hispanic, and white mayors as well as senators, governors and the president, we should be putting this racist attitude behind us. People like Mr. Weintraub will continue to fuel this hatred just to further his career. It is amazing to me that the judge goes along with this behavior. In my opinion, and it's just an opinion, Mr. Weintraub and Judge Batan should be ashamed of themselves and congratulations for Mr. Weintraub on his sleezy win.

• Lumpedup1 (3) posts 6:05 pm

  The article states that it took so long to "solve" this case because they didn't have all of the facts. Sad but true, they still don't have all the facts. They made this bar fight into a high profile "hate crime" by the press and investigators who had no idea of what actually took place and still don't. The three off duty, out of state, out of uniform, drinking with the rest of the people at the bars that night were also on vacation just like everyone else. At least Mr. Caron owned up to his responsibility in the incident, unlike the cowards who were quick to sell out the friend of many years. The friend that came to help when they were in trouble. With friends like that who needs enemies. All involved should have been held accountable for their actions, if one goes free they should all go free, if one gets time, they should all get time. All involved should have had been brought in front of the judge at the same time. Would he still have let three walk and one stay behind? How is justice really served? This is 2009 in the United States of America, Mr. Weintraub turns this into a hate crime knowing full well that there were 21 phone calls received by Mr. Caron that a friend was in trouble. It's people like Mr. Weintraub that fuel these racist views. In a time where every major city in the United States has black, hispanic, and white mayors as well

• Michael_Barrow (101) posts 9:56 pm

  if you bring a weapon into an attack....not self-defense, but an attack...then you deserve what you get in terms of legal ramifications. in fact, attacking someone in general is not acceptable. self-defense is.

• Frustrated (1) posts 10:43 am

  Jarreu was not in uniform and was leaving a bar early in the morning. He was probably just as drunk as anyone involved in the situation. His race and occupation are irrelevant. This was not a hate crime. Furthermore, in Jason's case, he was not even involved in any injuries suffered by Jarreu and if these three officers were the upstanding citizens they are supposed to be, they would have admitted that in court. Jason is simply taking the fall for the others involved. Anyone making Jason out to be a racist in this situation should review the FACTS of the case!

• myinfo (97) posts 9:27 am

  Three years is NOT an appropriate amount of time, it should have been more. The men were here for a relaxing vacation and ended up being attacked by some stupid drunks...please; I sure hope all three officers sue the heck out of them for their injuries. Believe me, if the colors had been reversed the time would have been longer.

• KevinRx (1) posts 10:41 am

  I can't understand how the judge determined that a three year sentence is appropriate. Judge Batten sentenced a man last August to 4 months for having sex with two minors, ages 12 and 14. 4 months for providing alcohol to underage girls and having sex with them on tape. I'd be interested to see his sentences related to gun crimes. Jason accepted responsibility for his part in what happened, and in doing so was punished for all involved.

• bigjack609 (51) posts 6:57 am

  His so called friends sure did dime him out in a hurry,three years is a bit much but as the saying goes don't do the crime if you can't do the time.Maybe he should have worn a jacket that was the right size.

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