serving our community since 1997
www.HomelessVoice.org Helping the Homeless Help Themselves
Part of the North American Street Newspaper Association
Volume XI, Issue 7
Hit and run driver kills woman in Dania Beach The Broward Sheriff’s Office is searching for a hit-and-run driver that killed a Hollywood woman Aug. 21, Friday morning in Dania Beach. Renae Maureen Lettiere, 50, was crossing the westbound lanes of Sheridan Street in the area of U.S. 1 about 5:39 a.m. when she was struck and killed, according to BSO spokeswoman Keyla Concepción. Lettiere was a McArthur High School graduate who for the past 10 years lived off and on at the Homeless Voice shelter in Hollywood, director Sean Cononie said. “She just left a couple of months ago,” he said. “She was a caring individual. She loved animals and worked at the Hollywood Animal Hospital for
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States where hate crimes/ violence occurred in 2008:
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otal Number of States: 22 and Washington, DC Arizona—1 incident in 1 city (Tucson) resulting in 1 death Arkansas—1 incident in 1 city (North Little Rock) resulting in 1 death California—17 separate incidents in 10 cities (Bolinas, Costa Mesa, Hayward, Isla Vista, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Richmond, Riverside, Sacramento, San Pablo) resulting in 10 deaths and 12 non-lethal acts
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* David Bookbinder * Brian * Kevin * Joseph * Edith * Clarence * and Renee Green * Alice Johnson & Family * Lisa * Earnest Bowens & Family * Ed & Ruth * Rudy * Lisa * John McLean * Darren * Jan Cerrito * Rev. Patrick O’Shen * Angela Forrest & Family * Carlos * Adeel Jamal
MD to Become First State to Add Homelessness as Protected Class to Hate Crimes Law
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Dania Beach, FL Ft. Lauderdale, FL Key West, FL Manatee County, FL Miami, FL Panama City, FL Pompano Beach, FL St. Augustine, FL St. Petersburg, FL West Palm Beach, FL
Florida Attacks and Murders W est Palm Beach, Florida Two homeless men killed in two separate incidences in one week May 17: In West Palm Beach, Florida, there have been two different homeless men slain during the course of a week. One man, Rolando Longoria, 27, was riding his bicycle in a shopping plaza and was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting; eye witnesses report the shooter being male driving a black car. Police say that Longoria had a confrontation with the driver behind the Starfish Game Room located in the West Palm Plaza. Sheriff spokeswoman Teri Barbara said detectives believe there were witnesses in the area. Prior to the shooting, the Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy on a homeless man; the report ruled the cause of death “homicide” due to a fatal gunshot wound. The victim, David Roland Ulmer, 41, was found by a woman at about 10:50 am. It is believed that the two incidents may be related. Panama City, Florida Teen Stabs man to Death August 2: Jose Gonzalez, 17, has been charged with 1st degree murder and faces a life in prison sentence. Gonzalez was convicted for stabbing Timothy Humphries, 49, to death one evening. He is said to have pulled Humphries off his bike when he was on his way to his cousin’s house. St. Petersburg, Florida Man attacks homeless couple sleeping at a campsite February 15: Jesus Escudero, 31, was
arrested in St. Petersburg, Florida for attacking a homeless couple at about 1 a.m. Detectives suspect Escudero of approaching the couple, who were sleeping at a campsite, and attacking the man, 48, with a brick. Escudero then struck the woman, 42, in the head. The male victim attempted to call 911, but when he came back to the campsite he learned that the female victim had been raped and that the attacker had fled. Deputy Jake Viano and his search dog found Escudero a half hour after arriving at the scene of the crime. Escudero was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated battery, one count of sexual battery, battery on a law enforcement officer, petty theft, and providing a false name to a police officer. He was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for failing to appear in court on a grand theft charge. The female victim was transported to a hospital, but the male victim refused treatment. According to Sgt. Jim Border, “there was no indication that the suspect and the victims were acquainted before the attack took place”. Pompano Beach, Florida Man Rapes Homeless Woman September 2: The Broward County Sheriff’s Office reported that Guy Cherubin, 31, was charged for armed sexual battery against a 48 year-old homeless woman on the night of September 2nd. At 5 a.m. that morning, BSO detectives said, Cherubin, “attacked and raped a homeless woman in Pompano Beach … he covered the 48 year-old woman’s face, forced her to the ground and placed a knife
In 2008 Florida had 21 separate incidents in 10 cities
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nnapolis, MD– The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP), Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) and the Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP) are pleased to announce that Governor O’Malley of Maryland will sign SB 151 into law at 10:00 a.m. on May 7th. SB 151 will make Maryland the first state to add homeless people as a protected class to its hate crimes law. From 1999-2007, there have been 774 documented acts of violence committed against homeless individuals in the United States, 217 of which have resulted in deaths. In Maryland, documented attacks on homeless people date back at least to 1992, when a homeless Korean War veteran was killed in Annapolis after being soaked in urine, kicked down a ravine, and called a “worthless bum.” In 2001, a group of young men from South Baltimore began beating and robbing homeless people, a spree which resulted in three deaths. On Valentine’s Day in 2008, a homeless man was beaten to death while sleeping in an alley in Frederick. These incidents demonstrate the dangerous reality of life without housing and the increasing disregard for people experiencing homelessness. This law magnifies the importance of protecting our most vulnerable neighbors. Adding homeless individuals to Maryland’s hate crimes law sends a message that homeless individuals are not second-class citizens and deserve the same protections as historically targeted groups. -AP
Hate, violence, and death on main street usa 2008
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rimes of hate and violence have continued to plague the forgotten and most vulnerable members of our society: homeless people. Since 1999, the National Coalition for the Homeless has been tracking the cataclysm of violent crimes that have been committed against homeless persons. The National Coalition for the Homeless has for the tenth year published this report that documents the unfortunate trend of violence towards the homeless. People who are homeless are more vulnerable to attacks because they live outside in public spaces. Most of our communities do not have adequate, affordable housing or shelter space to meet the need, leaving many homeless people to live outside. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 41.8% of our homeless population is unsheltered.1 Undoubtedly, this percentage is higher as current economic issues have brought
Our Purpose: To Help the Homeless Learn How to Help Themselves
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