After attack, did New Port Richey police ignore victim?
By Bill Stevens, Times Staff Writer
The first blow cracked open his head.
"Faggot!'' screamed one of the hooded attackers. "You're gonna die!''
Joe Catania believed him. A lamp crashed against his face. Blood flew.
"Kill his dog! Kill the faggot's dog!''
In his 64 years, in all his openly gay life, Catania had never endured a beating. But now, in the bedroom of his own home just two blocks from the restaurant he lovingly tended for 15 years, he touched his unrecognizable face and it crackled like paper.
"I looked like the elephant man,'' he said. "My sinuses were ripped to shreds, my face was shattered.''
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Sometime before 5 a.m. Aug. 23 on quiet, tree-shaded Illinois Avenue in New Port Richey, Joe Catania fell victim to a hate crime. He has no doubt about that. But he has plenty of doubt that the local police gave it much attention.
He also has several friends in town, people who admired what he did with the Cafe Grand before retiring in 2004. Last week, some of them started complaining. Now Mayor Scott McPherson and City Manager Tom O'Neill are involved. They have a meeting scheduled this week with police officials.
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