Scott Beckerman lives in a beautiful home in Bethlehem Township, within a stone's throw of Barnes and Noble Book Store and a Panera Bread. A registered nurse, he's the Director of a Nursing Home facility in Allentown. On a hot Saturday night on July 20, he was enjoying a rare evening at home. But that ended at 10 PM, when he was assaulted, right outside his home, by a gang of five mostly underage kids. Angry at his step-daughter, they had just texted her, "We're coming." Beckerman tried to shoo these kids away from his home. He was rewarded with a broken nose, fractured cheek, a collapsed sinus making it hard to breathe, knocked out front teeth making it difficult to eat and lower back pain that hobbles him a month later.
Wearing a tie and dress shirt in District Judge Joseph Barner's court room, an angelic looking Justin Mayberry, age 19, was bound over to County Court on aggravated assault and related charges after a preliminary hearing on August 29. He was represented by Easton Attorney Matt Potts, and sat silently in the courtroom as Beckerman and his 17 year-old step-daughter testified.
In response to questioning by Assistant District Attorney John Obrecht, Beckerman told Barner that when he heard a group off kids was coming for his step-daughter, he intended to send them on their way. When a car pulled up parallel to his driveway, he approached the driver and a passenger, telling them they had to leave. Instead, both of them punched him in the face, with the first blow knocking a tooth out of his mouth. After the third punch, he tripped and fell to the ground. That's when three more kids, including Mayberry, emerged from hiding behind bushes across the street. Some of them kicked at him while he was down. Others, including Mayberry, punched at Beckerman with closed fists.
Beckerman believes the kids scattered when he was able to struggle back to his feet. But his step daughter testified they ran when she saw her using her cell phone to call police.
"Thank God it was me instead of my daughter," Beckerman later said.
Brian Kirchner, the arresting officer who also serves as Freedom High School's School Resource Officer, denied after the hearing that drugs or gang activity was involved.
"It's high school drama," he said.
Three participants turned themselves into Township police on the night of the incident and confessed. The minors will be tried in juvenile Court on September 10. Beckerman would like to see them tried as adults.
75 comments:
High School drama my ass. What a stupid comment. They should be tried as adults or tried as cowards. That is basically what they are.
I deleted a comment from the gun nut.
Time these young thugs get grown up justice. The violence is out of hand and escalating.
The young toughs have no fear of the system. Time for the system to give them something to fear.
gun nut issues aside,
this encounter would have been changed markedly simply by the sight of a pump shotgun
Bernie
High School drama? Upsetting to hear the school enforcement officer not recognize brutality. How can he possibly do his job?
What a horrific story. This could be any of us! Who doesn't think they are safe in a neighborhood close to that Panera Bread?
Thank you for alerting us to this event but it could be any of us.
Unfortunately this stepdad's nose may never heal so that he can properly breath again.
Last night I was driving home through Allentown. It was 8 p.m.
I was on a very busy major road when a group of little boys threw a stone at my car near the windshield. They damaged the glass but I couldn't stop as there was cars behind me. What if the stone had gone through the open window and struck me in the face? They wanted to hurt someone. is that drama? Not to me.
This officer is not appropriate to be monitoring a high school. He refuses to see the real picture.
100 parents should show up for the next hearing.
What else was said by the police officer. I think just printing a couple words may not tell his whole story.
Bernie
You're the valley's best reporter.
Hands down. Sugar coated stories.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Bernie
Meant to write-Words cut off
You're the valley's best reporter.
Hands down the local papers sugar coat stories.
7:07 AM
The arresting officer is not the criminal. The roving pack of misfit's are.
What give's today's Youth, the perception that this type of behavior is acceptable?
"The young toughs have no fear of the system. Time for the system to give them something to fear. 4:29 AM"
Society removed Parent's & School Aministrator's
ability to corporally punish children.
Many situation's were avoided....Under threat of an ass whuppin', when we got home....or in the middle of K-Mart/Wherever. It used to be an accepted societal norm.
As a Society, where did we go wrong?
The gang neds to be sent to a real prison let them find out want a gang bang really is while noone is asking but I am sure the little princess is no angel in all of this....although I can tell You had the come after My daughter or any other family member there would be NO trial.....
a gang of five mostly underage kids
The Adult 'kid' should be charged with corruption of minor's.
7:07, The officer was quite busy. I asked him whether this was drug-related or involved gangs. He said it was high school drama. I asked if the juveniles would be tried as adults and he said that is the DA's call. That was the extent of our conversation. he is a very professional officer who did a great job in putting this matter together.
"this encounter would have been changed markedly simply by the sight of a pump shotgun"
Yeah, It could have led to needless deaths. He does have the right to defend himself, and I could see coming to the door with a gun under those circumstances.
Watching and listening to the slide action on a shotgun usually results in an uncanny turn toward civility without any shots being fired. The punks who pummeled the father are well on their way to a life of crime and violence. They'll likely die of gunshot wounds inflicted upon them by their peers; not a protective father. I'm sure the parental status of the criminals involved is a mess, as well. This is not high school drama. Good luck getting the dopey officer to take any violence seriously with his fine attitude and keen analysis. When seconds count, a disinterested police officer is just minutes away.
This police officer did a fine job. Ignore the jackass comments sir.
The angelic looking Justin Mayberry would have got shot in the face at mt house. He would look so nice in his suit and tie laying in a casket
If dad called the police ahead of time, his beating may have been avoided. On the other hand, his call may have been perceived as a nuisance call involving high school drama, and not been taken very seriously.
10:42
Your an angry dangerous person.
I'm very dangerous to the person who comes to my house with bad intentions. You can call 911, I'll call 1911
This appears that it is not Mayberry's first encounter with the law. A person with the same name, address, and DOB was cited in February of this year with Criminal Trespass. That summary trial is set for September 10. The current charges consist of 3 felonies, 2 misdemeanors, and 1 summary offense.
Officer Kirchner is nothing more than a rent-a-cop as most BTPD officers are for years they have been looking the other way they have a host cop wannabes on that dept Keyock,Wilson,Militzski and the list goes on and on.....all the good cops have left because they could see where the dept was headed and maybe it has finally made it there.
This guy could have saved the tax payers a bunch of money if he owned a fire arm.
How do you know he doesn't?
I don't know. I'll write him and ask if he would take the same beating again or defend his family. I got my head kicked in on 5th and gordan for a cell phone next to an apd camera. Nobody showed up and i couldn't call because they took my phone. You might change your mind after getting nearly killed, you cant call timeout to call the police
This is Scott Beckerman, yes I would take the same beating again, I guarantee you this time it will turn out different, if there is a second time
Mr. Beckerman, You have an active criminal prosecution and civil claim. Although I appreciate your willingness to talk about things. do not engage anyone on this blog. What you say can be used against you in the criminal trial or in civil litigation. Also, it is unwise to reveal whether you do or don't own a firearm, especially to some anonymous asshole.
Afraid of the answer Bernie?
Whatever Scott would say on a blog to an asshole like you would be used and held against him. I don't want him participating in any exchanges with you that could be used to impeach his credibility and prevent a conviction. That is why you are an anonymous asshole. You don't think. You just shoot.
Bunch of muppets
You are correct, when somebody comes to harm my family, my only thought is which gun will i use. Lmfao
Im going to write the man a letter and post his response
You do that. Knock yourself out.
No problem
@ 2:50 PM
Are you trying to tamper with a witness?
why would you mess with the man who had this done to him, hasnt he had enough crap already you would actually post his response
even thou what he said does not incriminate him he has every right to exspress how he feels
3:07, You don't have to worry. Scott will not talk to this person. If contacted, he will turn the letter over the Beth Tp police.
Bernie only wants his side heard and not the victim. I hope somebody doesn't kick the shit out of Bernie one night near his home. He'd be singing a different song. He is scared of guns because one of his favorite cyberstalker victims owns a gun and he's a little nervous. He who casts the first stone Bernie.....lmfao
Yea ok bernie. Afraid of the truth? Pos
If anyone hasn't been heard from, it is the Defendants. I have asked beckerman not to discuss his situation with anonymous cowards on a blog bc astute defense attorneys will use what he says to hurt his credibility. People like you apparently don't care whether he loses his case bc of your idiocy. If you cared about the victims, you would shut up already.
Your lawyer talk means shit Bernie, if the man said he would have defended himself means nothing to his case. No wonder you can no longer practice law. Hows that black man doing after you rigged his case for 60.00 bucks? Lmfao
Morganelli can't stand your letters
If you don't miss,"He who casts the first stone", WIN'S!
@ 6:57 WILSON BOROUGH, Pa. -
A $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons trying to lure children into a vehicle is being offered by an anonymous Wilson Borough businessman.
Obviosly you are bored. Go get em'!
Civil suit.
Today's high school drama means a gang of boys beating up one girl? I'm horrified. I'm glad I read this and that I own a piece. I would be prepared with it in a situation like that.
@12:16.. rent a cops really? That is one of the most silly comment made on this thread. That department is a certified Department and has to meet standards.
http://www.pachiefs.org/Default.aspx?pageId=858229
Can't believe that they would hire rent a cop. Can you please explain why you say what you do? Are the officers you call out part timers?
BT has a fine department, one of the better ones I've seen. Obviously, a department that has to make arrests is going to have enemies. But I personally have a great deal of respect for the officers i see on BT's force, including Officer Kirchner. He put together a very detailed case, and has been very responsive to the victims and fair to the Defendants. As you can see in some of the boroughs, it is hard to get good police officers. But BT has a good group.
Police also said they believe some of the members conducted a series of “knock-knock” burglaries -- referred to by the gang as “floccin" -- in which they break into homes if no one answers the door.
I was unaware of that. Do you have a source?
What could one girl have done to piss off 5 boys to the point of violence? They wanted to fight her, like she had a chance at winning? This is attempted murder.
I'm very dangerous to the person who comes to my house with bad intentions. You can call 911, I'll call 1911
11:35 AM
not all things go bump in the night
My guess is Michael Holmes, who has had it in for Beth Tp police since they charged him with harassment.
So u basically delete every comment that doesn't agree with ur one sided story??? We won't get into the TRUTH on this blog we'll let the HIGH paid lawers handle this...
Go for it.
@ 9:10
"I welcome your thoughts and love to argue. Feel free to disagree. But remember, commenting is a privilege, not a right. I will delete personal attacks or off-topic remarks at my discretion. I will delete criticisms of my comment policy. My decisions on these matters are made on a case by case basis, and they may be affected by my mood that day, my access to the blog at the time the comment was made or other information that isn’t readily apparent.
Louis Esquire said...
So u basically delete every comment that doesn't agree with ur one sided story??? We won't get into the TRUTH on this blog we'll let the HIGH paid lawers handle this...
9:10 PM
Participation in Society is a Priviledge decided by our Elected Official's.
If Jim & Tricia are Elected-by-Popular vote....We get what we asked for.
\
Threatening to get a Lawyer involved only means you do not know how to handle the situation yourself.
To:Mr. Louis Esquire
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/PUBLIC/cons_index.cfm
Please do some Legal Research yourself. Tricia will advise you on how to fill out the Paperwork, to file it for Free(Pro Se)
"@Clinton. You were not there so how do u know?"
I accept the veracity of Mr. O'Hare's reporting as Truthfull.
Most criminal defendant's immediately become Johnny Cochran-esque, in defense of their alledged criminal conduct. Sometime's it is Best to just admit that you are caught.
5:12 PM
Wow Bernie. You do your best to preserve the victim's right to achieve a full verdict in this case, and (some) people beat you up for allegedly "telling only one side" and not letting the victim tell his story. I don't know why it isn't crystal clear that your objective is not to quash the truth, but for it to come out in a court at the right time.
Joe Biden says the shotgun technique works best...
-Clem
-Clem
12:30 PM
Harry survived, after being shot by Vice President Dick Cheney while Quail hunting.
Bernie , I'll pick Dwight,if my ass was on the frying pan ! Problem is ,I predict that this defendant will not follow instructions from any council.Bet you lunch at Mother's.6562
Bring up Johnie Cochran, He was the number 3 District Attorney in LA County at one time. Always had a rhyme the jury could remember, and himself a victim of police prejudice.Gets pulled over at the wheel of a luxury automobile,guess what ,cop asks if it stolen.
Guess what, it probably was!
1/9/14: Someone submitted a comment trashing the victim. I will not publish it unless you identify yourself and take responsibility. Fair enough?
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