NEW CASTLE Machete case draws film crew

A show spokeswoman said it is unclear if the footage will be aired.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- "America's Most Wanted" got its man; now the show is here to film it.
The popular Fox Television crime show had a film crew in New Castle on Wednesday collecting footage in the capture of Proboodat Joucoo, a New York City man wanted on an attempted homicide charge. Police say he attacked his estranged wife with a machete.
Kim Newport, spokeswoman for "America's Most Wanted," said the New York-based show hired a local film crew to do interviews and shoot film of those involved the arrest.
Filming was done at the county jail and the New Castle Police station.
Jail inmate's tip
Joucoo was featured on two May episodes of the Fox Television program and recognized by a former Lawrence County Jail inmate, who called the program's hot line to say Joucoo was in the jail under an assumed name.
Jail officials were able to match Joucoo's fingerprints with an inmate they knew as Ramesh Ramkellawan, who came to jail March 6 on sexual assault charges.
He was accused of raping a New Castle woman he had met through a church-sponsored program that helps those attending narcotics anonymous programs.
"America's Most Wanted" gave Joucoo the moniker the "Machete Monster" after he was charged with attacking his estranged wife at the birthday party of their 15-year-old son in May 2005.
Arms severed
According to reports, Joucoo's estranged wife had a protection-from-abuse order against him when Joucoo stormed into the party and attacked her in front of the children. Both of her arms were severed in the attack and later reattached by surgeons.
New York Police are attempting to extradite Joucoo back to that state. Until then, he remains in the Lawrence County Jail on $50,000 bond in the sexual assault.
Newport said it's unclear whether "America's Most Wanted" will use the film taken Wednesday in Lawrence County.
"We like to put one capture story on each week, but we only have 43 minutes of airtime," she said.
Newport said the decision on what to air is made on a weekly basis. If it does air, it will be within the next few weeks, she said.
"We like to put a positive spin on the show and let our viewers know that their tips make a difference," she said.
cioffi@vindy.com