Federal charges urged in immigrant's beating death

HARRISBURG - Gov. Rendell yesterday asked the Justice Department to file federal charges against two Pennsylvania teenagers in the fatal beating of a Mexican immigrant.

In a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Rendell urged the Justice Department to pursue civil rights charges against the white teenagers from Shenandoah. He called the 2008 attack on Luis Ramirez, 25, "senseless and cowardly."

This month, a Schuylkill County jury acquitted Brandon Piekarsky, 17, of third-degree murder and ethnic intimidation, and Derrick Donchak, 19, of aggravated assault and ethnic intimidation. Both were convicted of simple assault.

Two other teens have pleaded guilty in connection with the attack. - AP