Young Black Knights Wrestle With Inexperience

All I Want For Christmas

By MICHAEL McNARNEY mmcnarney@leader.net
 Wednesday, December 20, 2000 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 9A 





WILKES-BARRE - A former Wilkes University student was free on bail Tuesday
after being charged with beating another Wilkes student with an aluminum
baseball bat. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dominic Goffredo, 19, of Mt. Bethel, turned himself in at the Wilkes-Barre
Police Station Tuesday afternoon. He was arraigned before District Justice
Catherine O'Donnell on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of
reckless endangerment. He was freed on $55,000 bail. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Goffredo, wearing a leather jacket and saddle shoes, responded to
O'Donnell's questions with a polite ``ma'am'' after each answer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Goffredo is accused of beating Wilkes sophomore David Watkins just after 3
p.m. Thursday at South River and West Northampton streets. Watkins was in
guarded condition Tuesday at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. His mother has
said he's expected to make a complete recovery. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Following the attack, Wilkes posted flyers on campus buildings describing
the incident and the attacker. Wilkes spokesman Vaughn Shinkus said the
university routinely posts notices about campus crime - using both handbills
and e-mail messages. Federal law, he said, mandates such notices. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``It wasn't the first time, and I'm sure it won't be the last,'' Shinkus
said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Shinkus said Goffredo is no longer a Wilkes student. He would not say if
Goffredo left school or was expelled. Goffredo's father said last week that
his son was unhappy at Wilkes because of the violent environment and was
planning to leave. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to court papers: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Two witnesses, Dustin Smith and Alex McKinnon, said they were inside
buildings at Wilkes when they heard a ``thumping sound.'' Smith said he looked
outside and saw a man being hit with a long object. McKinnon said he went
outside to investigate and saw a man he recognized - later identified as
Goffredo - walking away with a bat. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Goffredo was also arraigned Tuesday on a separate charge of receiving
stolen property. He is accused of taking a pager belonging to a person whose
purse was stolen on Sept. 21. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to court papers, the purse and pager were taken from a vehicle on
South River Street. The pager's owner called her number, police said, and
Goffredo returned the call. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Goffredo allegedly told the unidentified woman that other men stole the
pager and gave it to him. He denied any knowledge of the purse and returned
the pager to the woman. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Teen Accused In Beating Of Wilkes Student Is Freed On Bail 
Victim Of Attack With Baseball Bat Listed In Guarded Condition At Wilkes-barre
General Hospital.

Teen Accused In Beating Of Wilkes Student Is Freed On Bail Victim Of Attack With Baseball Bat Listed In Guarded Condition At Wilkes-barre General Hospital.