Latest Outrage

What Hate Does:  Tragedy in Arkansas

April 4th, 2008

What Hate Does:  Tragedy in Arkansas

We're sorry to announce that we're adding yet another flashpoint to the map showing the tragic consequences of hate.  A young man says something nice in Spanish about a baby and is assaulted by the father at work the next day.  The man's uncle, who intervened, is beaten to death.  This is what hate does and why we need to push back on what's driving a climate in which these kinds of incidents are on the rise.  As far as we know, this has only been covered in the local press so far:

Fight victim wanted safe place for his family

By Tracy M. Neal Staff Writer //

Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008

URL: http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/58237/

BENTONVILLE - Miguel Barron brought his family to Arkansas 14 years ago to escape violent gang activity in Los Angeles.

Barron died in Arkansas as the result of an alleged violent act by two co-workers.

The men - Willie Blackston and Darrell Day - appeared in court Monday where they pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with Barron's death.

Blackston, 28, is charged with murder in the first degree, a class Y felony punishable with a sentence ranging from 10 to 40 years or life in prison.

Day, 35, is charged as an accomplice to first-degree murder, a class Y felony; intimidating a witness, a class C felony; and terroristic threatening in the first degree, a class D felony. The class C felony is punishable with a prison sentence ranging from three to 10 years, while the class D felony carries a sentence of up to six years in prison.

The men pleaded not guilty during arraignments before Circuit Judge David Clinger. An omnibus hearing in the case is scheduled for 8: 30 a. m. March 17.

" He came here with his family to escape gang violence, " Frederico Barron said about his brother through an interpreter. " He found a quieter place here. He wanted to avoid his children being exposed to gang violence. "

Frederico Barron - Miguel Barron's wife, Maria Vidales de Barron - and other relatives talked about Miguel at the family's Rogers home Saturday morning.

Frederico moved to Arkansas and told his brother that life was peaceful here. So Miguel packed up his family and moved to northwest Arkansas. They both worked at a Tyson Foods plant before finding jobs at West-Ark Steel a few years ago, Frederico said.

" He wanted a healthier place for the kids, " Frederico said.

The brothers worked together at West-Ark Steel on South Lincoln Street in Lowell, along with their nephew, Miguel Villeda. Both Frederico Barron and Villeda continue to work at the plant.

Miguel Barron, 41, died Jan. 5 at Northwest Medical Center in Springdale after being removed from life support. A medical examiner concluded that Barron died from blunt-force injury to the head, court documents state. He was hospitalized Dec. 27, 2007, and placed on life support.

Villeda said, through an interpreter, that on Dec. 26, Blackston's wife was in the back seat of the couple's car with a baby. Villeda told her in Spanish that the baby was cute.

The next day at West-Ark, Blackston's wife pointed out Villeda to her husband as the man who spoke to her, Frederico Barron said.

Court records allege that Blackston and Day had been drinking at work, and toward the end of the workday, Blackston punched Villeda in the face.

Frederico told The Daily Record that Miguel Barron walked out of a bathroom and attempted to stop Blackston from attacking Villeda. Frederico said Blackston punched Miguel Barron in the face. That caused him to fall and strike his head on the floor, Villeda said.

Blackston then kicked Miguel Barron in the ribs twice, Frederico said.

Frederico said he tried to go into an office to ask someone to call 911, but Day pulled him out of the office.

As Villeda and Frederico tried to carry their injured relative to a van so they could take him to a hospital, Blackston said, " I'm sorry, Miguel, " then punched the fatally injured man in the face again, Frederico Barron said.

Day and Blackston then attempted to fight Frederico and Villeda, both said.

The incident lasted about 10 minutes. During the entire incident, Frederico said, Blackston was saying obscene and derogatory statements about Mexicans.

An office worker had called 911, and emergency medical personnel and police arrived on the scene.

Day is accused of ordering others not to seek aid for Miguel Barron after the attack, according to court documents. Day is also accused of threatening a co-worker who witnessed the attack.

Blackston is being held in the Benton County Jail in lieu of $ 200, 000 bond. Day is being held in to the county jail in lieu of $ 100, 000 bond.

Miguel Barron's family took his body to his birthplace - San Juan del Rio, Mexico.

He was the breadwinner for his family, which includes his wife and six children.

" I hope (Blackston ) never gets out of jail, " Frederico Barron said. " He will do the same to someone else. "