October 9, 2004

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  Jacqueline Jones checks one of her sons for injuries after the teens are released from Shuman Center.

  
  

  Bizarre Racism Claims Surround High School Arrest

  
  

  
  

  POSTED: 10:42 a.m. EDT October 4, 2004

  
  

   

  
  

  SPRINGDALE, Pa. -- Two boys, ages 14 and 16, were taken into custody after resisting attempts to eject them from Veterans Memorial Field for smoking, authorities said. 

  
  

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  The teens' mother, Jacqueline Jones, said her children had bruises on them and claimed police yelled racial epithets during the arrest.

  
  

  "I believe it was Chief (Joe) Naviglia, because he was screaming fairly loud, "I'm sick of you n***** (nigger) kids coming to my town and ruining it and ruining virtually everything that goes on here,'" Jones said.

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

  The boys showed their bruises and scrapes to Channel 4 Action News. 

  
  

  
  

  Jones said they were covered with bruises, and her 16-year-old told her that Naviglia's brother, Officer Mike Naviglia, had kissed him on the mouth and asked him, "Does that taste like racism?"

  
  

  
  

  "He (Officer Naviglia) said, 'I kissed him to show him that I wasn't prejudiced,' and I said, 'You have no business kissing my son. Don't kiss him,'" Jones said.

  
  

   

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