(Greek Orthodox)Priest Attacked By Marine in Tampa

[Heddi]

Source: Fox 13

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A Marine reservist has been charged with attacking a priest visiting from Greece who he believed was a terrorist.

...

Police say Marakis tried asking Bruce for help but instead was attacked. Bruce allegedly called 911 during the ordeal and told an operator an Arabic man was trying to rob him.

---

Another Article:

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/marine-charged-in-attack-on-priest-111009

Marakis, 29, got out of his car to ask for directions, but police say Jasen Bruce took out a tire iron and hit him over the head, then chased him on foot for three blocks.

During the chase, police say Bruce called 911 and claimed an Arabic male attempted to rob him and he was going to take him into custody. When officers arrived, they say Bruce claimed the man was a terrorist

Read more: http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=117455&catid=8

---

They just showed this on the local 5pm news. There was clips of a news conference held by the marine and his attorney that I can't find in the articles (will be available later, I suppose??)

I was just watching it and have it DVR'ed..so this is the additional information. I'll post more if a fuller article comes up

Laura McElroy Tampa PD:
"during this chase the victim (Marakis) falls to the ground several times, is hitting him with a tire iron, continues to get up and continues running. At the point the officers arrives he (Bruce) has the victim pinned to the ground with the tire iron and he tells the officers he's a terrorist and that he yelled at him "allah akbar" and proceeds to explain to us 'That's what they say to youyou before they blow you up"

Jeffrey Brown Suspect's Attorney:

"the driver of that vehicle who was clearly trespassing in a secure parking garage, dressed in robes and sandals with a long beard suddenly made a sexual reference and grabbed the genitals of Lance Corporal Bruce. Lance Corporal Bruce defended himself"

That's verbatim what was on the Fox13 News at 5. So he's a terrorist, he screamed Allah Akbar (sp) but oh yeah I meant to say he grabbed my junk....what a lying douchebag fucker

[YOY]

1. That is one stupid mother fucker...

n.t.

[BeFree]

27. Have pity

Obviously the Marine has some mental issues. Thank God he didn't kill the guy.

[izquierdista]

39. The few, the proud,

the incredibly stupid.

[YOY]

41. I'm met some intelligent marines. More than a few.

I've also met some true trogs. Bad to steriotype but those few dumb trogs really set a standard...and that standard is always held my that lower end of Marine.

[imdjh]

72. This marine is something of a "health" freak, depending upon your definition of health

He can talk hormones and supplements pretty good. He works in "complex therapy" management for a pharmaceutical firm, but his title is sales manager.

[AlphaCentauri]

99. think about a psychiatrist listening to that idiot

I guess the doctor would get insane.
sales manager jobs are for people who can't handle complex problems.

[Renew Deal]

2. He was probably yelling malaka malaka!

:crazy:

[Crowman1979]

3. What a fuckin dumbass! He thinks anyone wearing robes and a long beard is a terrorist?!?!

Seriously, the USMC needs to stop recruiting people who were HOME SCHOOLED!

[boobooday]

7. Good thing he never ran into Jesus n/t

[intheflow]

33. +1

[struggle4progress]

54. Well, y'know what happened t'Jesus

[Rebubula]

12. Nice jab...

..at Home Schooling.

Do you know that he was home schooled? Are most ignorant and violent people home schooled? Any data to back any of your bias' up?


Thanks for playing.

[laconicsax]

16. Didn't you know?

Only fundamentalist Christians home school to further indoctrinate their children with small-minded violent hatred and ignorance.
:sarcasm:

[paulsby]

26. only the ever present, omnipotent all powerful and good

state can be trusted to educate children.

god forbid parents, or a group of same take the matter into their own hands

HERESY!

[Critters2]

28. Oh, look! It's become a home-schooling thread!

:popcorn:

[alcibiades_mystery]

47. ROFL

Home school nuts flock to the very mention.

:rofl:

:popcorn:

[Crowman1979]

96. I've witnessed home schooled students first hand, and they are socially and historically ignorant!

Added to the fact that a lot of home schooled kids followed some fundie christian indoctrination.

There was this one student in my geography class in college who thought that the muslims invaded Britain in the middle ages.

Then there was my cousin who was homeschooled, who was a total screwup in the USMC.

And the countless Marines in my unit who were homeschooled, once they go out into the real world, they do some crazy shit.

[Ian David]

42. They just now figured that out. 75% of Americans are unfit to serve...

... mostly due to lack of early childhood education.

It was posted on DU earlier today.

[Julius Civitatus]

108. Did the moron miss the HUGE CROSS ON THE PRIEST'S CHEST???

My brain hurts trying to wrap my mind around such incredible ignorance.

Here's what a Greek Orthodox priest looks like. Can you tell any sign that may suggest these gentlemen are Christian?









But even if he had met with a Muslim person... what would compel an idiot like this to start hitting someone with a tire iron and label this person "terrorist"?

Idiocy at its worst.

[Judi Lynn]

111. Thanks for adding some examples of images of Greek Orthodox priests.

It really helps bring this vicious bit of astonishing stupidity into focus.

[Critters2]

4. I guess "Help! Stop!" can sound an awful lot like "Allahu akbar".

:eyes:

[Wizard777]

21. Maybe, AHHHHHHH you stop hitting me with a bar?

:shrug:

I can hardly wait to see the trial.

Prosecutor: So you believed him to be wearing a suicide bombers vest?

Moron: Yes I did.

Prosecutor: What is the name and rank of the person that taught you to handle what could be unstable explosives by beating on them with a metal bar? Because we're gonna charge him with attempted murder for trying to get you killed like that.

[Critters2]

25. LOL!! Good point. nt

[baldguy]

5. Nest he'll be saying Fr Marakis was asking for his support for health care reform!

[Judi Lynn]

11. No doubt. If he had had more time, he would have gotten to a mirror

and written "HCR" on his face backwards, to claim the A-rab had done it.

http://www2.tbo.com.nyud.net:8090/exposure/ar/125/170/2009/11/10/21247_jansen-bruce.jpg

Jasen D. Bruce

A true genius hits you with a crowbar first, asks questions later.
Tampa police: Marine reservist attacks visiting Greek priest
By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune
Published: November 10, 2009

TAMPA - A U.S. Marine reservist attacked a visiting Greek Orthodox priest he believed to be a terrorist, Tampa police say.

When the priest tried seeking directions from Jasen D. Bruce, 28, of Tampa, on Monday, Bruce struck the priest with a tire iron and chased him.

Police say he attacked the Rev. Alexios Marakis, 29, of Crete, Greece, who was visiting St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Tarpon Springs and wound up lost in Tampa.

Marakis had performed a blessing of another retired Greek priest in the West Shore area and then accidentally exited Interstate 275 north into downtown Tampa. He followed cars into the Seaport Channelside Apartments on Twiggs Street and got out to ask Bruce for help.

More:
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/nov/10/tampa-police-marine-reservist-attacks-visiting-gre/

[boppers]

6. WTF

That Marine's going to be doing time for being a violent asshole, insh'allah, and getting stripped of his rank (and job)... we don't need people like this serving in our military.

[Roland99]

8. Your take on things has me confused....

"during this chase the victim (Marakis) falls to the ground several times, is hitting him with a tire iron, continues to get up and continues running."

That reads like the victim was hitting the other guy with the tire iron? I assume that wasn't the case?



"the driver of that vehicle who was clearly trespassing in a secure parking garage, dressed in robes and sandals with a long beard suddenly made a sexual reference and grabbed the genitals of Lance Corporal Bruce. Lance Corporal Bruce defended himself"

How does one trespass in a "secure" parking garage? Was this a military installation parking garage? Did Marakis get out of his vehicle and approach the Marine and make him stop his car or make threatening gestures to lead him to think he was being robbed or something?



Just completely confused at the course of events here.

[flvegan]

10. Bruce was striking Marakis with the tire iron.

As I understand it, Marakis followed a few cars into this complex because he was lost. If it was secure, he must've followed behind someone with an access card or something.

[Heddi]

18. Sorry, I was transcribing from the news station

and I transcribed what the police person said, but they started her interview mid-sentence. The way the story went, it sounds like the Priest drove his car into an apartment-building garage (not military garage). How it is "secure" I don't know...they didn't get into that.

He got out of his car and in broken english, tried to ask for either help or directions from Bruce. Aside from Bruce saying that the priest yelled Allah Akbar, and then grabbed his genitals (which was never told to Tampa Police, it only came out during the press conference with his attorney), there is no real evidence that the preist did anything threatning or violent. He had just come from a blessing of an older preist, and was lost. He also spoke very little English.

Bruce started chasing him and was hitting the priest with a tire iron. the priest would get up, keep running, and Bruce was following after him, continuing to him him with the tire iron.

Like I said, the interview with the police spokeswoman was started mid-sentence, but it is clear that the priest did nothing, and that the marine beat him with a tire iron. The marine states that a Russian Orthodox Priest yelled "allah akbar"....and then grabbed his penis.

[flvegan]

9. I was watching that same newscast, and couldn't believe it.

Between the attorney and the attacker...ugh. From what I heard earlier, the suspect had a lawyer before the police even came to get his story. It didn't strike me at suspicious until this new bit of information.

[Heddi]

19. And it seems

that the accusations of sexual assault only manifested themselves during the press conference.

I guess when you realize your ass is handed to you on a platter because why would a fucking RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PRIEST yell "allah akbar"??? you have to go with another angle (that is equally ridiculous and non-believable) so you make up that he grabbed your balls...??

[flvegan]

22. They even said "allah akbar...that's what they say before they blow you up!"

I sat there, jaw agape and the obvious lies being spun.

[Downwinder]

34. I guess if you are a dick, if anybody touches you they are

touching your genitals.

[Jamastiene]

55. Over in GLBT there is a link to a site with pictures

of the marine that claims he is gay.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x150489

If he's trying to use that "gay panic" defense, he has just outed himself...or someone on DU has.

[boppers]

75. Greek, not Russian, Orthodox

They're not the same church.

[Heddi]

81. Sorry, my bad

I made post 19 as I was walking out the door for work...i think in the original article I posted I had correctly identified him as Greek Orthodox, just a little brain fart as I was making an update as I was leaving

[Judi Lynn]

13. Thanks, Heddi. Sure glad the victim survived this stupidity from a "patriot." n/t

[Soylent Brice]

14. i see this being a re-occurring incident, sadly.

[Douglas Carpenter]

15. we can thank FOX News and other hate media and opportunistic politicians for

for helping create the language and culture of fear and hatred.

Unfortunately, as we have scene, even in some Democratic Party oriented settings there are those who share this agenda with the extreme right. They also share in the blame for creating this atmosphere of fear and hatred.

[appleannie1]

74. Those were my first thoughts. Rush and Beck can be real proud of themselves.

[Critters2]

17. I love these lines from this telling of the story...

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/AP/story/1326241.html


Bruce also told police he heard Marakis yell, "Allahu akbar!" - Arabic for "God is great," according to Tampa police spokeswoman Laura McElroy.

Marakis, however, does not speak Arabic, McElroy said. He speaks Greek.






The stupidity. It burns.

[Joe Chi Minh]

36. The more I think of it, the more it seems like a case of "diminished responsibility"

- for an obvious reason.

[Heddi]

20. Here is a Video of the News Story with the Police & Attorney Interview

Okay embedding the video didn't work, but the video is on this page with the interview

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/marine-charged-in-attack-on-priest-111009

Additional information in this article:

Alexios Marakis was in town from Crete to perform a blessing of a retired priest. But police say he got off the wrong exit on Interstate 275 and ended up driving around downtown before following a line of cars into the Seaport Channelside Apartments on Twiggs Street.

Marakis, 29, got out of his car to ask for directions, but police say Jasen Bruce took out a tire iron and hit him over the head, then chased him on foot for three blocks.

During the chase, police say Bruce called 911 and claimed an Arabic male attempted to rob him and he was going to take him into custody. When officers arrived, they say Bruce claimed the man was a terrorist.

--snippy--

According to police, Bruce is a Marine reservist. When officers returned to his apartment for an additional interview, his lawyer was present and he was uncooperative, they said.

Attorney Jeff Brown tells FOX 13 he is representing Bruce. He said that Marakis was trespassing and made a sexual reference toward Bruce, and grabbed his genitals. Brown said Bruce was only defending himself.

The 28-year-old faces a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, but detectives are working to determine if the offense meets the state standard for a hate crime.

[Judi Lynn]

105. Here are some internet photos he took in his other job: "modeling"

which was mentioned in the article you posted:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com.nyud.net:8090/_6c1-qjsrY6s/SPZ1g-EYLJI/AAAAAAAAA30/xCYHPhXwhP0/s400/2234.jpg

Jasen Bruce


More:
http://madabouttheboys.blogspot.com/2008/10/jasen-bruce.html

[bertman]

23. No wonder that fucker is a RESERVIST. If he got the drop on the "terrorist" with a

frickin' tire iron and didn't kill him with two quick hits I'm glad as hell he's not serving on active duty.

The Corps must be accepting ANYBODY these days.

[cactusfractal]

24. Not every Marine is a xenophobic asshat like this one.

Many... but not all. Xenophobia comes with the territory, unfortunately. How this guy mistook Greek for Arabic is beyond me.

[intheflow]

32. "How this guy mistook Greek for Arabic is beyond me."

It's explainable in three words: xenophobia, prejudice, ignorance.

[Blue_Tires]

29. what a jagg-off...

[IndianaGreen]

30. There is a very large Greek Orthodox community in America

Jasen Bruce better hire a bodyguard for as long as he lives.

[recoveringrepublican]

38. I'm married to a Greek in the Tampa Area, and there is a big population

in the county over. As soon as my Greek Facebook Friends started updating about this story I knew it was going to be some asshole who mistook the innocent Greek Orthodox Priest for an INNOCENT ARABIC MAN. UGH disgusting. I hope he rots.

[ngant17]

Tarpon Springs, Fla.

I believe Tarpon Springs which is near the Tampa/St. Pete area, it has a large established Greek community, originally due to the natural sponge market which was pioneered by the Greek sponge divers in the 1900's. It advertises itself as the "Gateway to Greek Culture". Lots of Greek restaurants in area.

Lost or not, the visiting Greek Orthodox priest had every right to travel in this area.

Are all jarheads so ethnocentric? This kind of stupid jarhead will guarantee defeat in SW Asia. He makes Gomer Pyle look like a model Marine.

U.S.M.C. = Uncle Sam's Miserable Children

[recoveringrepublican]

106. ugh, you gave my location away! lol You are correct. nt

[Joe Chi Minh]

31. When I saw the headline, I said to my wife, "I bet he thought he was a Moslem!"

And she laughed. I said, "I'm serious!"

The hate-radio crowd, including Murdoch, if Fox is as bad as they say on this subject, should be held accountable for this kind of thing, if they don't act more responsibly. Accountable, as in "liable to be imprisoned."

[intheflow]

35. No way in hell a Greek Orthodox priest was grabbing a man's genitals

in a sexual way. You can't even make the (bigoted) leap to priests being repressed homosexuals because Greek Orthodox priests can marry women.

IF (and it's a big if) he tried grabbing the marine's nuts, he was probably just trying to get to his attacker's most vulnerable area, to buy a little time to get away. I hope that Marine gets booted out of the reserves and spends some serious jail time for this monstrous and racist attack.

[Joe Chi Minh]

43. No, that's a school-boy thing. Just high-spirited idiocy in a school context.

But it figures here that it could have been the first daft thing that sprang to the lad's mind as a legal defence.

[YOY]

44. Racist? Greeks are generally considered 'white'.

And non-middle Eastern to boot.

[intheflow]

51. Racist against an assumed Muslim.

And before you jump on me that "Muslim" is not a race, Merriam-Webster race in part as "a class or kind of people people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics." All Muslim share an interest in the word of Allah, even if they don't all agree on interpretation of the Koran. That's what I meant by racist.

[YOY]

52. I wouldn't jump on you for that. I would say 'anti-Semitic' and not 'racist' though.

anti-Semitic by it's truest definition (against a Semitic people.)

[intheflow]

77. Sure, I'll go along with you on that.

:hi: Really, "prejudiced" or "bigoted" would have worked just as well, without the semantics.

[IndianaGreen]

45. I don't believe one word of the Freeper's account

[Critters2]

94. + 1 nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

48. The marine's story is in the dictionary next to "Adding insult to injury"

I mean, fucking literally.

[Canuckistanian]

37. Here's what I think happened here

Marakis approaches the "Marine" looking for directions. Marakis' English isn't up to the "Marine's" stnadards.

Said "Marine" immediately takes offense at the foreigner, thinking him to be an Arab, based on his clothing. Mr. "Marine" whips out a tire iron and starts beating on the Greek priest. The Greek priest gets away.

Later on (after a serious chat with his mall lawyer), the "Marine" alternately claims the Marakis is

1.) a terrorist
or
2.) a persistent homosexual

At which point, a FOX news affiliate becomes involved.

Is that about right?

[alcibiades_mystery]

50. If there's anything worse than an Ay-rab

It must be a fuckin' h*mo.

The mentality is very telling indeed.

[Canuckistanian]

56. I hear you

Very telling, indeed.

[imdjh]

71. I'm thinking the marine is a prostitute, the priest a trick, and the incident a mess.

[imdjh]

57. The marine has a photo spread on a gay beefcake site.

[Canuckistanian]

79. No WAY

These assholes have a way of GIVING, in a manner of speaking.....

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[imdjh]

82. do not open this link at work (unless you like hot men in underwear)

http://madabouttheboys.blogspot.com/2008/10/jasen-bruce.html

[Canuckistanian]

86. Love the comments, especially THIS one:

Anonymous said...

Your a piece of work, beating up on a 5'6" defenseless priest with a tire iron. Also, how can you be a Marine reserve and work the male circuit at the same time? Don't ask don't tell? Now the whole world knows. BTW don't ever step foot in Greece or Tarpon Springs if you know what is good for you!

[imdjh]

87. LOL, I hadn't seen the comments.

[ngant17]

91. The gay Marine is out of the closet from the web site

The Greek Orthodox priest has a robe, beard and moustache. I don't see how this gay jarhead was able to associate the Orthodox priest as a Taliban bomber.

Mr. Gay Marine probably was not able to stay busy and turn enough tricks that day, economy being what it is, so with the idle time, he decided to play revenge from the Ft. Hood killings and happened to see someone who vaguely fit his ignorant profile of a terrorist.

It is unlikely that a celibate Greek Orthodox priest would have traveled to US for a sex partner. OTOH I think the priest would be wise to be tested for AIDS because of physical contact from the attack by the gay Marine who may or may not be infected.

[Critters2]

93. Orthodox priests aren't required to be celibate. Most of 'em are married.

Either way, I think the priest just happened to ask the wrong asshole for directions.

[Ian David]

40. Well, we did do the nose. And the hat. BUT HE'S A TERRIST! n/t

[Roland99]

49. HA! Exactly!

[underpants]

46. It took a US Marine 3 blocks to catch a Greek Orthodox Priest?

[imdjh]

83. I wondered about that too. My friend pointed out that the Greek had adrenalin/fear on his side.

[imdjh]

84. BTW, was your mental picture of the priest in a long black frock?

[The Wizard]

53. The Marine

assailant makes a strong case for conscription. Just think, his job is to carry a high powered rifle. And he's trained to kill.

[recoveringrepublican]

58. Tampa police: Marine reservist attacked Greek priest he mistook for terrorist

Source: St. Petersburg Times

Instead of offering help, Bruce struck the priest on the head with a tire iron, police said.

He then chased the priest for three blocks to the Madison Avenue and Meridian Avenue, police said, and even called 911 to say that an Arabic man tried to rob him.

Bruce said he was going to take the Arab into custody. When police arrived, Bruce told them the victim was a terrorist.

The priest was taken to Tampa General Hospital. There, a translator helped Marakis speak to police.

Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article1050707.ece

---

Well I hope all the fear mongering "islamic terrorism" freaks are happy.

[imdjh]

59. Possibly a prostitution deal gone wrong.

[Bonobo]

60. Is that a joke?

[imdjh]

78. Nope

[AlphaCentauri]

97. sick

[imdjh]

100. I get that you don't like me, I'm candid. Candor doesn't work in your world.

[AlphaCentauri]

102. Candidiasis surly not

O8)

[Jamastiene]

63. That one FAUX News link is still the only one adding the "gay" spin on this

from what I have found so far.

[Critters2]

95. Blaming the victim. Typical FAUX. nt

[LanternWaste]

109. Supposition based on anything other than bias?

Supposition based on anything other than bias?

[BrklynLiberal]

61. fear mongering "islamic terrorism" freaks - inlcuding joe LIEberman..that P O S!!

[LeftyMom]

62. Ah, Tampa.

:rofl:

[Canuckistanian]

64. What's Greek for "Stop hitting me, you idiot"?

Does it sound like "Allahu Akhbar"?

[noiretextatique]

65. what an idiot

guy asks for help...you beat him with a tire iron....because: you think he's Arab, and a terrorist
:eyes: this guy should be on world's dumbest criminals

[ChairmanAgnostic]

66. how are we to know that priests are not terrorists?

especially with their history with the yute of many countries?

[bertman]

69. I thought the "yutes" was a tribe in the west, CA.

:rofl: :rofl:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

70. works either way, actually.

[xocet]

67. Travel Warning...

Maybe the EU should issue a warning about traveling in the USA.

First, there was the man from the UK who was shot and killed in Texas; now, the above-mentioned reservist attacks a Greek with a tire iron. All of this occurred in the span of only a few days. Wonderful.:sarcasm:

[boppers]

68. Already a thread on it.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4141485

[The Magistrate]

73. This 'Marine', Ma'am, Has A Sort Of Side-Line....

http://madabouttheboys.blogspot.com/2008/10/jasen-bruce.html

[imdjh]

80. "I"m not gay!"

[nolabear]

89. Whoa. Is that a tire iron in your pocket...

[imdjh]

92. It's cretin on Cretan violence!

[mod mom]

98. His linkin describes him as APS Specialty Pharmacy representative

Jasen Bruce's Summary. APS Specialty Pharmacy representative in the following fields; Bio-Identical Hormone Therapies Anabolic Therapies for HIV wasting and ...
www.linkedin.com/pub/jasen-bruce/8/b64/5a4 - Cached - Similar

wonder if he might have a steroid problem

[Critters2]

101. LOL! Very good! nt

[starroute]

90. And people are already posting disgruntled comments there

"Your a piece of work, beating up on a 5'6" defenseless priest with a tire iron."

"Semper Assholis."

"If conservatives didn't raise money from spreading fear and prejudice this guy would have never done such a thing. Of course, if he had some Common Sense he wouldn't have either."

"Another graduate of Fox News; enraged, ignorant, and in Jason's case, just looking for a fight, at least when he's not doing calf-raises in the mirror."

[ShortnFiery]

76. and so it begins ... again.

:(

[martymar64]

85. This makes me ashamed to be an American

When, oh when will Canada and other countries allow Americans to seek asylum from our fascist people that populate this benighted land?

[imdjh]

88. Oh please. 300 million people. I don't know about you, but my town has 11K and more than its share..

... of asshole. You think there aren't millions of assholes in China? I'll guarantee that India has more than its share, because I have met them. You want Canadian assholes? Look at the religious right and the politics of Alberta.

[FarCenter]

103. Amazing -- An Orthodox Priest's towel doesn't look anything like an Ayrab terrists towel

[New Dawn]

104. Florida. n/t

[BreweryYardRat]

107. Say it with me, ladies and gents...

Dishonorable discharge.

And good riddance -- if this cretinous ape-man had been deployed, he'd probably have been responsible for another Haditha Massacre.

[Judi Lynn]

110. Yelling "Allah Akbar" right before grabbing someone's genitals seems somewhat unlikely! n/t

[Critters2]

112. Hadn't even thought about that. Does seem a bit dissonant.

And damned unlikely!