Luis Eduardo Ramírez Zavala, a 25-year-old undocumented Mexican immigrant, was beaten to death in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania in July of 2008. His death was at the hands of four white teens who targeted and beat him simply for being Latino.
The irregularities that took place in the trial from the very beginning caught the attention of the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ opened its own investigation. In December 2009, the DOJ filed hate crime charges against Brandon Piekarski and Derrick Donchak. Both face possible life sentences if convicted. Their trial is set to start on October 4 in Scranton Pennsylvania.
The prior acquittal verdict caused an international outcry in Latino communities, social justice organizations and immigrant advocacy groups across the country and in Mexico. All eyes will be on this trial to see if Luis Eduardo Ramírez Zavala finally gets justice.
Latina Lista's coverage of the trial not only elevates awareness of the judicial proceedings in the name of the murdered victim in the mainstream media, but serves as the trusted eyes, ears and voice for those in the Latino community for whom this story is much more than a random murder.
