Gay Bash Suspect's Father Takes Blame, Friend Defends Him

Initial reports about the brutal beating of an openly gay Queens man Friday night (video) mentioned that one of the alleged assailants told the victim, "My father is a C.O. [correction officer]. You will never do anything to us." That stupid boast had been unsubstantiated, until now. Last night the father of Daniel Rodriguez, the second man arrested in the alleged hate crime against Jack Price, came forward to speak to reporters.

Retired New York correction officer Daniel Rodriguez, Sr. tearfully told the press, "I want to say to Mr. Price that I'm sorry for my son, and that he wasn't the one that caused him harm. I caused him the harm the minute I stopped being a father to my son. I hurt him." Prosecutors say Rodriguez confessed to detectives when he was arrested Wednesday at a hideout in Virginia; he's claiming that Price provoked him by writing graffiti of a sexual nature in the bodega where the confrontation began.

Rodriguez, who pleaded not-guilty yesterday, is said to have told detectives, "I was angry, cause Jack is disgusting." The graffiti claim seems to have been corroborated by a Gothamist commenter who identified himself as Anthony Vergara. (An Anthony Vergara on Facebook is friends with suspect Daniel Rodriguez.) The commenter writes:

I know Danny Rodriguez, I have known him for 5 years and we are close friends. What Danny did was wrong and it was a mistake to take his actions to that extreme and I cant believe Danny hurt this man the way he did. That being said, Danny didn't beat Jack Price because he was gay, he beat him becuase Jack was writing a graffiti message at the deli with his phone number, offering gay sexual acts.
This was not the first time Jack has done this because I have seen similar writings by him around College Point and in Flushing. Others have seen them too. Danny saw him writing the graffiti, asked him to stop and Jack blew him a kiss. They then got into a verbal arguement and Danny lost his temper and decided to take actions into his own hands. Danny already knew Jack because I have heard Danny talk about him before and the things Jack has done in the neighborhood. Danny would not attack an innocent man buying cigarettes just because he is gay and I know this.

Prosecutors say Rodriguez admitted to using an anti-gay slur and stealing Price's wallet. But Price insists he did not write any graffiti and did nothing to provoke the attack. After emerging from a medically-induced coma, he is gradually recovering. The assault left him with collapsed lungs, broken ribs, damaged spleen, and a metal plate in his jaw. He is having his breathing tubes taken out soon, and is expected home in a couple days. On Saturday there will be a march and rally in College Point to protest homophobia and celebrate diversity; details here.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on October 16, 2009 1:39 PM

Comments [rss]

Spirit of 76

Anthony Vergara needs to get better friends.

hubcap

what can you expect from the son of a correction officer. those guys are nazis from what i've heard

ohgoodgolly

Say what you will, but at least he took responsibility for not being a good dad AND admitted that his son was capable of this sort of violence. Most parents try to cover for their fucked up progeny.

5borough

Its not like he was stealing a bike.

rhonda718

I'm surprised this hasn't gotten more attention:

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=7064503

Towards the end is an interview with one of the meathead's friends saying that it was not a hate crime. The meathead's friend has a "Thou shalt not lie with a man as one lies with a woman" Leviticus tattoo on his arm.

Really? Of all the biblical admonitions against adultery, theft, murder, the one about butt sex is the one you put on your arm?? But you and your friends aren't anti-gay right?

Someone should tell this mouth-breather that Leviticus also forbids tattoos....

handsomedevil

Jesus, nice catch. The guy on the news really comes off like a Nazi.

ohgoodgolly

Wow, that is ridiculous. I can't imagine living in a world where a blown kiss is justification for beating someone within an inch of their life. And they even have the nerve to say he's making too much of a big deal. Yep, clearly he went into that coma to gain some pity points. The calculating bastard.

nicemarmot

Many religious people love picking and choosing what parts of their religious books to pay a zealot-like level of attention to. Whereas this guy is probably extremely stupid, extremely gay, and extremely bad at hiding it with that horrible tattoo.

rhonda718

If ever there was an instance of "The lady doth protest too much"...

felixthecat2

His friends will guaranteed a conviction for him.

felixthecatSUX

So basically he is saying that an unwanted sexual advance, "blowing a kiss" was what caused him to beat the man into a coma? Gender aside, I get unwanted sexual advances every time I walk out the door. Imagine if women handed out a beat down for every construction worker that whistled at them or car that honked its horn? Maybe he should take it as flattery, just like they keep telling us women. Asshole.

Rishi

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1718762205

felixthecatSUX

is that really his profile?

Mordicai

WAIT he blew you a kiss? Well jeez then you HAD to hospitalize him right? It was out of your hands. I mean, he's been in the neighborhood, acting all GAY & so you had to teach him a lesson.

NannyState

The only plausible excuse for a physical assault is if you are attacked first. That clearly didn't happen. Goodbye, Danny Rodriguez.

Tom

What was the guy worried about, that this dude would pinch his ass. What the hell harm could he have done. Reminds me of "to kill a mockingbird". Jezuz this is all brainwashing from our grandparents generation. And we still have to fight the fight for jews, blacks, women. Folks we are all human beings, like Rodney said, can't we just all get along. And let everyone be free to do what they want. Freedom is what infuriates Iran and the taliban. Do we want to live like they do!

PTG in nyc

I've been hit on by gay guys before, then I tell them they're barking up the wrong tree, end of story. Not terribly flattering but ultimately it means someone thinks you look good, so take it as a compliment.

It's ironic that these tough guys who get so insulted when hit on by gay guys are the same types of people who cat call females and say inappropriate things to them. Imagine if females who constantly get harassed by dickheads reacted like this everytime? The world would be a much better place.

felixthecat2

LOL, what Gay person in his right mind would hit on you. stop posting your fantasies here.

Nyctini11

this POS better not get any special treatment cause his dad can pull strings, i hope they keep an eye on that.

jaycjay

A retired city CO? Not likely to have any more strings available than the average person. Keeping an eye on the Rikers rabble isn't exactly an important and powerful position.

Nyctini11

IDK with all the other corruption going on... i hope you'e right.

felixthecat2

He never identified himself as Anthony Vergara.. You must have taken it when he registered to comment. Isn't that private information?

felixthecat2

Never mind, I missed the part that he gave you the above statement. sorry

John Del Signore

His profile: http://gothamist.com/profile/Anthony%20Vergara

handsomedevil

Yeah, to me it sounds like they did know this man and were somewhat obsessed with him. They "saw similar writings by him around College Point and in Flushing"? Perhaps they were letting their imaginations get the better of them.

nicemarmot

Yeah right...are they really still trying to pull this gay panic bs in the year 2009? And like anyone would really believe that someone who beat a stranger to a bloody pulp was just trying to defend the deli owner from the evil gay graffiti?

whitecastlerock

These excuses are pretty fucking lame. They nearly beat this guy to death and this is the best they have to offer? They need to lawyer up and shut the fuck up. The family and friends are not helping either.

Doctor Memory

No no no. Please, please let them keep talking. A couple more press releases from his little friends, and Vergara will have gone from an aggravated assault (plea bargainable down to, I dunno, jaywalking) all the way to conspiracy and attempted murder.

Pass the popcorn.