Three year sentance for causing a lifetime of pain

"Like the judge said, he has three years and after that if he behaves himself, then he's free to go," Kelly said outside the courtroom. "I'll be suffering with this forever."

Some solace was delivered this week for the victim of a vicious swarming that left him without the ability to perform music. The last of three young men tried for their role in beating local musician Eugene Kelly will serve three years in a federal penitentiary.

Bronson Vinerskis, 20, was sentenced yesterday in the Ontario Court with his parents present. He was given credit for 114 days in pretrial custody on a two-for-one basis. Vinerskis earlier pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in adult court.

Earlier this month, two teens were found guilty of aggravated assault and additional charges and sentenced to 12 and 18 months. Kelly, 46, was beaten in the Pizza Pizza parking lot at Fiesta Mall on Highway 8 on Nov. 12, 2006.

Travis Carter defined bravery

In sad news this week, the boy who captured the Hamilton area's attention while he fought a terminal illness has died. Travis Carter died this week at the McMaster Children's Hospital. He was 10. Travis, who was in Grade 4, died from complications of Batten's disease. Travis was diagnosed with the rare degenerative brain condition in 2002. It usually takes a child's life after age seven or eight.

for more information on this terrible disease visit http://www.travisbattle.com/

Irish eyes shine again for Eugene Kelly

"You don't hit somebody when they're down."-Eugene Kelly

He was kicked, stomped and pepper sprayed by three Hamilton pieces of trash who thought they could get away with it. Eugene Kelly got up, heeled himself and fought back in court and this week he got the vindication he deserved. Kelly, 47 was outside the courthouse where two Hamilton youths were convicted of participating in a mob attack on him on Nov. 12, 2006.

Ontario Court Justice Bernd Zabel found both males, who were 17 at the time, guilty of aggravated assault. He convicted one of them of assault with a weapon and administering a noxious substance (pepper spray). The pair, who cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, will be sentenced May 2. A third accused, Bronson Vinerskis, who was 18 years old, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in adult court and will be sentenced on April 9.

Kelly, a married father of two grown daughters, has no memory of being stomped and repeatedly kicked in the head. He learned only weeks later, after awakening from heavy sedation and semi-consciousness, that doctors in the emergency room observed a distinct boot impression on the side of his bleeding face.

Witnesses said Kelly was pepper-sprayed by one youth and minutes later knocked to the pavement outside the Pizza Pizza at Fiesta Mall in Stoney Creek. He was unconscious as soon as his head hit the ground. A group of teenage boys surrounded his defenceless body and administered a flurry of kicks to his upper body and head.

The lead singer in a Celtic rock band called Crooked Jack, Kelly was returning home from playing a gig at the Corktown Pub. He stopped into the pizza shop sometime after 2 a.m. for something to eat. He admonished a teenager at the counter for failing to say thank you to the server. A friend of the youth took offence and challenged the older man to meet them outside.

Kelly suffered closed-head injuries and permanent memory loss, along with chronic impairment of his equilibrium. He has recently returned to work at Dofasco, but in a limited capacity. The steelworker has difficulty maintaining his balance and now walks with a cane.

"It's been just devastating," Kelly said, referring to the struggle he and his family faced to return to their normal lives. What hurts most is not having the dexterity to play guitar or the strength to stand for long and perform onstage. "It's not there yet. I tried a couple of times, but it's just not there yet."

I hope the justice system finally says enough is enough and hands out adult sentences to a bunch of coward "youth offenders" who committed adult crimes.

Later,
Kenaz

Be a cool cat. Not a dumb rat

This weekend I've drawn a couple of new cartoons depicting my take on the scourge that taken over our society. Once again it features my lovable cat friends telling you that there's nothing wrong with being a hard working blue collar worker and contributor to society. Meanwhile the "Dead Rats" prove that there is everything wrong in believing in the gang life.



Dedicated to Eugene Kelly

Later,
Kenaz

Letter hits my message home

In a previous post I depicted in the form of a cartoon my frustration with the 'garbage' turning our beautiful streets into a gang hangout, unsafe for the good kids and hard working stiffs to enjoy.



Today I found this well written letter to the editor of the "Spectator". This gentlemen voices the exact same opinion and I would like to share it.

Re: 'Youth gang suspected in assault on musician' (Nov. 14)

I find it frustrating that again we are not being informed of trouble spots in areas of the city, areas where we might be in danger of attacks from mobs of bullies.

Where is the police presence over this upswing they say has occurred, and where are the parents who should have a leash on these hoods?

Is it any wonder a neighborhood will call out for vigilante justice because we don't want to see our good citizens earmarked for a pounding by youths who fear no one? Individually, they are mouthy, but as a group they are fearless.

Maybe we should go the way some other countries have with this problem -- bring back curfews and ban gatherings of no more than three people, lest you are confronted by a police presence.

Women who take back the night are right in their message.

Maybe we as citizens should take back our neighbourhoods, from James North to Stoney Creek to the Mountain. If the police can't do it, we should.

In the update of this story on Friday the three 'kids' charged with the beating appeared in front of the judge sobbing. I hope this judge throws the entire library of law books at these morons especially the 18 year old leader.

Enough is enough, I take the bus to work right past where the attack occurred, I watch the kids get off the bus at the school mentioned, wearing the gang attire d'jour. My steel toed boots are covered in layers of grease and grime. They look to cover there's in blood. I wear blue and red flannel as a symbol of hard work. They wear their 'colours' as symbol of callous pride.

I pray for Eugene Kelly to awake and once again fill the clubs with his sweet Irish melodies and I pray for these kids will wake up and re-join the human race.

Later,
Kenaz