Michael Romano guilty of assaulting union rep
A defense witness said he saw the knife as he tried to break up the fight.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A jury in municipal court found paver Michael Romano guilty of assaulting a union organizer, but deadlocked when it considered the same charge against his brother Thomas Romano.
The trial began Wednesday afternoon in Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly's courtroom and concluded shortly before 6 p.m. Friday.
The judge declared a mistrial for Thomas Romano and ordered a presentence investigation for Michael Romano, who faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Blaine Daugherty III, 31, of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, testified that he was videotaping a paving project on West Rayen Avenue on Oct. 7, 2003, while employed as a union organizer for Labor International Union of North America.
He said the Romano brothers beat him mercilessly, but he did not pull the knife with a 31/4-inch blade clipped to his waistband.
The Romano brothers work for their family's company, Cleveland Asphalt in Bessemer, Pa. Both were charged with assault, and Michael Romano, 38, of Wampum, Pa., was also charged with damaging Daugherty's camera. The jury of seven women and one man also found Michael Romano guilty on that charge.
Raymond Collier, an operating engineer who works for Cleveland Asphalt, testified Friday that Daugherty was the aggressor with Michael Romano and that Thomas Romano, 34, of New Castle stepped in to help his brother. Collier, 72, said he saw the knife when he tried to break up the fight between Daugherty and Michael Romano.
Other witnesses
Witnesses called by Bassil Ally, an assistant city prosecutor, testified they did not see Daugherty wielding his knife. The witnesses did see the Romanos punch Daugherty.
Both Romanos testified Friday. Youngstown attorney James S. Gentile represented Michael Romano. Boardman attorney J. Gerald Ingram represented Thomas Romano.
Ingram said he could not comment on the jury's being deadlocked because the case is still pending.
Michael Romano said he saw Daugherty on the road being paved and Daugherty swore at him and threatened to have him off the job by the next day. Romano said they exchanged words and Daugherty lunged at him with a knife.
Michael Romano said he grabbed Daugherty to throw him down but didn't punch him. Romano said his shirt was ripped by Daugherty, who also swung the camera as a weapon.
Thomas Romano said he ran up to the confrontation and pushed then punched Daugherty.
In demonstrating how Daugherty wielded the knife, Thomas Romano swung his left hand up and sideways. "Unless you're a girl, you don't punch like this," he said, making the motion again.
The courtroom erupted in laughter.
Patrolman Dave Copanic testified Thursday that when he arrived at the paving site, he saw the Romanos punch Daugherty.
The officer said he also saw Michael Romano remove the cassette from Daugherty's videocamera and pull out the videotape. Michael Romano denied removing the tape.
meade@vindy.com