Natasha McShane’s attacker is ‘character witness’ for cousin

MOLLY MULDOON,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, September 10, 2010, 8:28 AM

Updated Friday, September 10, 2010, 8:31 AM

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Natasha McShane

The man who brutally attacked Irishwoman Natasha McShane last April stood as a character witness for his cousin during a lengthily trial in Chicago recently.

Heriberto Viramiontes wrote a character letter for his cousin Margarita who after a two day trial received 25 years in prison for an arson attack.

In April Viramontes was charged with attacking Natasha and her friend Stacey Jurich in Bucktown Chicago. The two exchange students were returning home from a celebratory night out when they were randomly set on and assaulted with a baseball bat by Viramontes (30) and his girlfriend Marcy Cruz (25).

Viramontes and Cruz were both charged with 25 felony counts including attempted murder. Both have pleaded not guilty. Viramontes has a long history of crime, his rap sheet includes convictions for both burglary and domestic violence.

Stacey had just received a glowing review from work and Natasha had secured an internship which would allow her to extend her time in the United States.

The assault left Natasha with severe brain damage and she spent more than a month in a coma. After extensive brain surgery, she left the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and was flown home to Northern Ireland in July.

After been transferred to the Royal Victoria hospital in Belfast she underwent further brain surgery. After her arrival back home her parents Liam and Sheila McShane released a statement saying that Natasha was eating and walking with assistance and has also started to say some words.

"Her peripheral vision continues to remain impaired and her cognitive function and speech require long and intensive rehabilitative therapy. Her doctors still maintain that her final prognosis is uncertain," they added.

A website dedicated to Natasha’s rehabilitation reminds visitors that she has a long recovery process ahead of her.

Nster.com

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RobbCobb | Sep 12, 2010, 01:09 PM EDT

Slow roasting on the stake is too lenient a punishment for Viramontes. How can a single celled slug with no character portend to be a character witness for anyone? Apparently only when it turns out the other he is testifying for is another single celled slug. Pour salt on all three of the fellons. Bless Natasha and Stacy.

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Dublinjas | Sep 11, 2010, 03:04 AM EDT

I hope this Girl will be alright,It was heart warming the love that was shown her in Chicago by the Irish community there and of course others. I know they do great things in the Victoria Hospital in Belfast, They have a long history with Gunshot wounds and Head Trauma so here's hoping with the help of God she will pull through. As for the scum who caused her injuries the likes of them should have been drowned at birth, People do not realize that there is such a thing as Systemically evil bad seed and this bunch is a fine example, I believe the cure is 30 or 40 years in a crowbar hotel.

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wasqazz | Sep 11, 2010, 12:08 AM EDT

very sad . you have two people with so much going for them due to their hard work, and along come two pieces of trash to take it away. Not everyone in the states is like that.. he should not be aloud to be a character witness at all when he has charges pending against him.

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Searlit | Sep 10, 2010, 09:58 PM EDT

I would say that our justice system is guilty of twisted logic.

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maloney | Sep 10, 2010, 06:48 PM EDT

Keep on sticking up for illegals fooding into the U.S.

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cabbagehead44 | Sep 10, 2010, 11:19 AM EDT

It is a mockery of our justice system that someone who commits such a heinous assault on two defenseless woman would be a character witness for someone let alone his relative who als committed a felony!

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