Guess the Christian Defense Coalition hasn't been reading the Juice lately.
If it had, it would have figured out that the fatal shooting of Tite Sufra and Stephen Ocean in Boynton Beach on January 30 probably had exactly nothing to do with the fact that it was evangelizing.
But the Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, who heads the national anti-abortion group Operation Rescue as well as the CDC, says he wants a federal investigation into the murders. The reverend alleges that shooter Jeriah Woody violated the street-preachers' civil rights because the two men had been testifying the word of God to Woody just before he shot them.
That seems unlikely. Mahoney should have looked up Ocean's criminal history before he staged his little show this afternoon on SW Second Avenue. Mahoney laid a sheaf of yellow roses on the spot the men had been shot and told reporters that the victim's congregation now might have to fear for their lives. Probably not, unless the congregation is full of ex-gang members. As we reported last week, Ocean was a former member of Boynton Beach gang the B-Town boys. And the B-Town boys have an excellent memory and a taste for revenge.
Boynton Beach Police Chief G. Matthew Immler appears to agree; he released this comment today regarding the murders:
"Although we have arrested the person we believe to be responsible for the murders of Stephen Ocean and Tite Sufra, the case is still under investigation in order to determine if additional persons may have been involved or can provide additional information. We have spoken with numerous witnesses, as well as the suspect, and at this point we have no reason to believe that the victims' religious activities or beliefs factored into the commission of this crime."
