Suspect Charged in Corktown Beating/Dragging

**Meddle** · November-14-10, 12:22 AM

Last Updated: November 13. 2010 9:27AM
Detroiter accused of beating homeless man, dragging him behind truck
George Hunter and Santiago Esparza / The Detroit News

Detroit — A man police say was so enraged a homeless man was sleeping near his Corktown home that he allegedly beat the man, tied him to his truck and dragged him by the feet was ordered to stand trial Friday.

In a case that shocked homeless activists and neighbors, Steven James Diponio, 54, is accused of assault with intent to do great bodily harm in the Oct. 6 attack on Charles Duncan, 42, near the intersection of Brooklyn and Porter.

"[[Diponio) told the arresting officer he was tired of the man sleeping behind a school near his house," said Detroit Police Sgt. Eren Stephens.

Diponio allegedly took a rope from his pickup, tied up Duncan and beat him several times with a baseball bat, said Maria Miller, a spokeswoman for Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

Diponio tied the man to his bumper and dragged him in his car a short distance before neighbors freed Duncan, police said. Duncan was left bleeding on the sidewalk before a witness called police, Stephens said. Details about his current condition or injuries weren't available late Friday.

Homelessness is a big issue in the neighborhood. Several people sleep in a park in front of Michigan Central Depot that volunteers including Philip Cooley are trying to revitalize. He said his group, the Roosevelt Park Conservancy, is trying to find safe places for the homeless to sleep.

"Those people need help," said Cooley, an owner of Slows Bar BQ. "We hope people are smarter than violence. We don't condone violence."

There are more than 9,500 people homeless on any given day in Detroit and fewer than 2,000 shelter beds, said the Coalition on Temporary Shelter.

Jeff DeBruyn runs a shelter and soup kitchen in Corktown and is an official with a residents' council there.

He said Diponio has been active in projects in the area for years and was concerned about safety in the neighborhood.

"[[Diponio) is very well known," he said. "But that doesn't excuse the alleged behavior."

Diponio, who faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted, couldn't be reached for comment. The judge set bond at $80,000 and Diponia paid 10 percent and was freed. He'll be arraigned Dec. 3 in Wayne Circuit Court.

http://detnews.com/article/20101113/...#ixzz15EOSZiky

**BrushStart** · November-14-10, 12:59 AM

He's entitled to his day in court. Let the jury decide.

**CLAUDE G** · November-14-10, 01:15 AM

I wish they would find out who was responcible for beating that guy at Tiger Stadium and leaving him inside the building to die.

Rumor on that one is that the guy was scrapping, and the employees for the demoliton company beat the guy up and left him for dead.

**kraig** · November-14-10, 08:00 AM

I don't care what he's been involved in with the neighborhood, there's no excuse for what he did. His ass should get the maximum sentence.

**gazhekwe** · November-14-10, 08:50 AM

Really. Next time he might get mad at the guy across the street or next door for having loud parties. Tying people up, beating them and dragging them with a car sure seems like intent to kill. Cowardly, too. He's lucky the poor guy didn't die.

**Hermod** · November-14-10, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by kraig

I don't care what he's been involved in with the neighborhood, there's no excuse for what he did. His ass should get the maximum sentence.

No excuse and he should get the sentence normally dished out to first time offenders in such cases [[assuming he doesn't have a record of such assaults).

That being said, it is a measure of the burden that the homeless population presents to the fabric society that the frustration to normal life would drive someone to this type of rage.

I firmly believe that the government should be the provider of last resort for food and housing of the indigent populace. That being said, the government should house the indigent in the locations most convenient for the government without people screaming "poor farms" or "workhouses". If the location for guys like Sir-Sir happen to be a closed up army base in northwestern North Dakota, so be it.

**Magnatomicflux** · November-14-10, 10:08 AM

That poor, poor man. Like things arn't hard enough for him already?? He's also lucky a few homeless people didn't find him and kill him. I won't be the least bit suprised when his house is a burnin'.
Just cause you're homeless, doesn't mean you're friendless and people don't care about you. Guess he just figured no-one would mind? No-one would miss him?

"He said Diponio has been active in projects in the area for years and was concerned about safety in the neighborhood"

- Obviously, right? Projects in the area? Does that translate to disposal of the homeless? Seems to me he's the only dangerous criminal in the area at the moment. You're right gazhekwe about him reacting to others that displease him. Hope no-one in the area needs to tune up their Harley or something.
And 10 years is complete shit. It's going to be incredibly hilarious however, that while he's in jail......he looses his wife, his kids, and his HOME. Won't able to get a job because he's an ex-con and a violent offender, and he's sleeping on a box in 11 years from now.Then some self-righteous asshole will get sick of it, come along and do the same to him.....but he won't know why...because he's STILL an asshole.

Ahhh.....Karma

edit: I was typing while you answered so I really didn't think about what you said here Hermod: That being said, it is a measure of the burden that the homeless population presents to the fabric society that the frustration to normal life would drive someone to this type of rage.

I can understand that. But still inexcusable. I have NEVER been so enraged that I attempted to or plotted kill someone.

What good is an $80,000 bond if you can pay a little bit and get out?

**SWMAP** · November-14-10, 12:18 PM

I was reading the story of that girl [[now woman) in Salt Lake City who was abducted by a homeless fellow that her Father pitied and put to work doing odd jobs. Gone for year and raped. He intended to get another girl fir a third wife. He'd seen her when doing odd jobs for HER father, but house too secure.
Anyway, maybe Mr DiPonio didn't want that particular homeless man near that school anymore [[maybe Holy Trinity elementary). Dpd no help. Stuff like homeless men lurking around schools probably not a priority.

**illwill** · November-14-10, 01:08 PM

He could not have picked a worse city to commit this crime. In a city that is already poor, struggling, 85% Black population, majority Black judicial system and a jury of his peers most likely being Black.

This guy should have thought before he acted.

Bearinabox · November-14-10, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

I was reading the story of that girl [[now woman) in Salt Lake City who was abducted by a homeless fellow that her Father pitied and put to work doing odd jobs. Gone for year and raped. He intended to get another girl fir a third wife. He'd seen her when doing odd jobs for HER father, but house too secure.
Anyway, maybe Mr DiPonio didn't want that particular homeless man near that school anymore [[maybe Holy Trinity elementary). Dpd no help. Stuff like homeless men lurking around schools probably not a priority.

That isn't a reason to tie another human being to your car and drag them down the street. Any way you slice it, that's an evil, sadistic, horrifying thing to do to somebody. This is not how a normal person responds to a guy taking a nap in their alley one too many times.

**SWMAP** · November-14-10, 01:25 PM

Well I do agree that DiPonio's actions were cruel and illegal. I'm just wondering if he was reacting to, maybe, a homeless guy that wouldn't leave the school and was talking up the kids or exposing himself. That would cause a normal peaceful person to get enraged. Anyway, from the perspective of many years residency in SW Detroit, I think there are going to be extenuating issues here - it was more than some guy who sleeps in the alley.

**gazhekwe** · November-14-10, 01:31 PM

If those actions had occurred, the police would have been called at the time of the actions. If the police had been called and not responded, that would have been the story, not this idiot.

**SWMAP** · November-14-10, 01:54 PM

Why do you think this week-end, cursory report is the whole story? As the writer above said: it will come out in court.

**Meddle** · November-14-10, 02:34 PM

That would cause a normal peaceful person to get enraged.

So, what makes you think this is a normal, peaceful person?

**SWMAP** · November-14-10, 02:42 PM

Because the reporters interviews a guy who runs a soup kitchen in the neighborhood who said "DiPonio has been active in projects in the area for years and was concerned about safety in the neighborhood."

**gazhekwe** · November-14-10, 02:47 PM

I think police misfeasance is a hot story in this town, that's why. It wouldn't just have been this nut who called the police, but the school personnel would have been involved had they seen a threat to the children.

**mwilbert** · November-14-10, 02:56 PM

Assuming that the facts are as reported, DiPonio sounds like he has a screw loose. I agree with bearinabox; even if you were really upset with someone, does tying them to your vehicle and dragging them someplace sound like a plausible response? What percentage of interpersonal disputes are settled in this manner?

I'm wondering if he might have be intoxicated in some fashion.

**stasu1213** · November-14-10, 04:15 PM

Eventhough we have very aggresive pandhandlers in various areas of downtown, I dont think they should be dragged from the back of a car not to mention a homeless person who is minding his own business and not bothering anyone. He could had been a war veteran or something. The man should had used his strenght for those who verbally and physically assault people who don't give change to them[[the pandhandlers).

**detroitsgwenivere** · November-14-10, 11:41 PM

LOTS of facts have been left out of this story. And since I live across the street from this *sshole and have been witness to some of his lesser b*llsh*t, let me be the one to fill all of you in on the omitted details.

Steve is well known not only for his community service, but for his incredible temper. When he attended Corktown Resident's Council meetings you could guarantee a loud and obnoxious meltdown that would make any "normal" person cringe. He has been aggressive and demeaning not only to the homeless in our community but to kids, black folks, and residents of the Clement-Kerns Gardens across the street from his house. Several of the people unfortunate enough to cross paths with DiPonio have walked into Resident's Council meetings complaining of his behavior for years, and after receiving no support, have since left the neighborhood searching for more accommodating pastures [[except the homeless of course, many of their social services are located in the area). This is because of his relentless obsession with removing "criminals and drug users/dealers" from our area, which is not exactly known for being a drug den. In the past, he had his house fire-bombed and truck vandalized after sending police on wild goose chases after residents he swore were dealing drugs that were cleared of any wrong doing.

He has a prior arrest for an incident that took place right in front of my house where he took a baseball bat to two homeless guys who happened to walk past his house on the wrong day. When one of the guys couldn't get Steve off of the other, he grabbed something and hit Steve's truck window hoping that it would distract Steve long enough for the other guy to get away. It worked, cuz Steve went after him, then jumped in his truck and proceeded to attempt to run these guys over. Let me repeat, RUN THESE GUYS OVER WITH HIS VEHICLE. All in broad daylight in front of passing motorists traveling on Trumbull. When police couldn't find the homeless men to testify against Steve in court, the charges were dropped, much to the shock and dismay of several of my neighbors.

Steve is known for having extreme emotional issues, some also mental I'm sure, and also happens to be related to the DiPonio family construction company, which is why he was able to post bond and acquire the legal services of one of Kwame Kilpatrick's former legal council. He's not married nor has he any children.

I should also disclose that the night before this incident, a Resident's Council meeting just happened to take place at Holy Trinity Elementary where we were graced with the presence of one of DPD's finest. Steve informed the audience and the officer about the homeless man who was sleeping regularly at the rear entrance to the school [[and who would also promptly leave as soon as the soup kitchen opened before any of the kids would show up). The officer took down the info and stated that he would do his best to remedy the situation. After the meeting ended, Steve told me he planned to go after this guy if he wasn't gone the same night. I played it cool long enough to hear about Steve's [[and supposidly a few other Corktowner's) plans to get the soup kitchen closed down because of their discomfort with having to see homeless in their neighborhood.

That being said, I don't blame only Steve for his abhorrant behavior. There are people in this neighborhood who have prompted and supported Steve's behavior all along, knowing that he has a loose screw and not having the balls to do this shit themselves. Corktown has a history of serving the poor that goes back over 150 years, and some of our less tolerant community members seem to think that the answer to dealing with the more recent criminal activity against their property lies with the removal of the homeless and less fortunate element in our community. I've got news for them, it won't. Most Corktowners I've spoken to agree with my assertion that the majority of criminal activity has come from outside of the neighborhood, stepping up ever since I-75 was shut down for the Gateway Project, detouring motorists through our residential streets. The homeless are just the scapegoat, and because of this Steve became the truck welding vigilate d-bag.

**Al Publican** · November-15-10, 01:02 AM

What street did this happen on? I used to live on Baglady St., as I sometimes called it.

**Magnatomicflux** · November-15-10, 01:15 AM

That was some great information detroitsgwenivere, thanks alot. Aside from the wife and kids that I got wrong, this is exactly what I would have expected to hear about him.

**mikefmich** · November-15-10, 01:18 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Well I do agree that DiPonio's actions were cruel and illegal. I'm just wondering if he was reacting to, maybe, a homeless guy that wouldn't leave the school and was talking up the kids or exposing himself. That would cause a normal peaceful person to get enraged. Anyway, from the perspective of many years residency in SW Detroit, I think there are going to be extenuating issues here - it was more than some guy who sleeps in the alley.

Reacting by dragging a human being with his truck? You gotta be kidding. That is not a spontaneous little fit of anger behavior ya know, and you defend this idiot? What the hell is wrong with your thinking?

BTW, I think you got your answer posted by his neighbor above me.

**detroitsgwenivere** · November-15-10, 01:29 AM

The assault reportedly began in the alley behind the school between Labrosse and Porter. I don't know which street it spilled onto. But I do know that the assault was witnessed by neighbors who tried to intervene, and the person who called 911 had gotten the dragging portion of the assault on video.

**mikefmich** · November-15-10, 03:02 AM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

The assault reportedly began in the alley behind the school between Labrosse and Porter. I don't know which street it spilled onto. But I do know that the assault was witnessed by neighbors who tried to intervene, and the person who called 911 had gotten the dragging portion of the assault on video.

Are people starting to see enough to run the douce out of the neighborhood? I've had a two rounds of wonderful neighbors, most of us banned to together and ran them out.

No felonies were committed, made a misdeamor or two. They both finally gave up and left. We had block parties the first Saturday after. One of them tried to attend, he got told he wasn't welcome on private property for a private party.
He peeled rubber down the street screaming, but was never to be seen again.