The four men convicted of beating a man unconscious on Christmas morning 2015 outside a Lancaster bar will not get lesser sentences or new trials, according to recently rulings by a state appellate court.
The former owner of Molly’s Pub, Anthony Maglietta, was one of the four convicted and sentenced to state prison for the beating, which was captured on surveillance cameras.
This month, the Pennsylvania Superior Court denied requests for relief from Maglietta, Raymond Lee, Joshua J. Ellis and Alexander Rodriguez-Cruz.
A prosecutor called the group a “pack of wolves” that beat the victim for an extended period of time, even after he was unconscious.
- Maglietta, 47, serving 5½ to 11 years, argued on appeal that his trial conviction went against the weight of the evidence and that the sentencing judge treated him harsher than his co-defendants because he owned the bar.
Maglietta also claimed he was treated harsher because when he showed investigators surveillance footage from bar cameras, he fast-forwarded segments of the assault(s).
The appellate court found there was “sufficient evidence” presented at trial and the jury’s decision was reasonable.
Regarding sentence, the appellate court ruled that Maglietta was not treated harsher because he owned the bar, but his fast-forwarding of the video showed a lack of remorse and was appropriately considered by the sentencing judge.
- Raymond Lee III, 42, determined to be the “principal actor” in the attack, was sentenced to 10 to 20 years. He also argued his conviction was against the weight of the evidence and his sentence was excessive.
- Joshua R. Ellis, 35, sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison, argued that his sentence was excessive and that testimony about alleged gang affiliation should not have been allowed at trial.
There was no objection at trial to that testimony so it cannot be reviewed, the appellate court ruled.
- Rodriguez-Cruz, 29, serving 4½ to 10 years for aggravated assault, argued that he only committed a simple assault because he threw one punch.
The appellate court ruled, based on testimony, that Rodriguez-Cruz was present for the attack, did nothing to stop it, helped carry the unconscious victim and delivered the “final punch” to the victim’s face.
Lancaster city police Sgt. Michael Gerace filed charges.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright