Almost three decades ago, an armed heist escalated to murder at the erstwhile Pal Joey’s restaurant in West Brighton, shaking the local commercial fraternity. Post the tragic incident, a crowd of over 200 congregated for the memorial service of co-proprietor Mark LaManna while his business companions and acquaintances on Forest Avenue demanded capital punishment for the perpetrators.
In the ensuing months, charging two individuals with murder, the law was swift to act, implying purported involvement of a third accomplice linked to gangs. Over the next few years, a surviving co-owner grappled with the psychological aftermath of the horrifying incident, dealing with emotional breakdowns, nightmares and profound life upheavals.
As we approach May, one of the shooters is set for parole. The fellow survivor of the tragic incident has voiced his opposition to this, stating his belief in the convict’s enduring guilt: ‘They decided to shoot us, it wasn’t necessary. Now, they must pay the price.’
Arnaldo Rodriguez, the 49-year-old convict from West Brighton, is set to present his narrative at the upcoming parole hearing. His current serving term is 29 years to life at Woodbourne Correctional Facility, New York, in association with the March 1, 1996, killing.
The parole discourse partly revolves around understanding convict’s views on the crime they were convicted for, and their plans for integrating back into society after years of state confinement. The parole board’s task is to assess the gravity of the original crime, understand the potential future societal threat the convicts pose and gauge their engagement in rehabilitative initiatives during their incarceration.
Recalling the night of the horrifying incident, it was snowing outside when it took place. LaManna, 36, was pulling down the gate of Pal Joey’s, a renowned Italian diner on Forest Avenue’s 500 block. As he and his fellow co-owner were closing up for the day, the gunmen ambushed LaManna and forced him inside.
The ambushers demanded cash, with LaManna and his partner complying as best they could. Most of the cash had already been secured for the day, and LaManna, a recent investor in the business, gave the little cash he had. Unfortunately, the attackers seemed displeased, according to the survivor who requested anonymity out of safety concerns.
In attempts to escape, the unnamed survivor made a dash for the door, only to be shot thrice. Despite his injuries, which he wasn’t immediately aware of, he was able to reach a Mexican restaurant across the street making a frantic call to 911. As he made his way back, he saw the attackers retreating from the scene and found his friend lifeless inside the restaurant.
The memory of his friend’s last moments remains vivid in his recall. He himself was injured and starting to lose a substantial amount of blood. His wife, who recalled the incident with profound emotion, remembered her husband saying ‘I love you’ before falling silent.
During his hospitalization, his wife received a terrifying call at their Staten Island home, threatening the safety of their daughter if her husband identified any of the attackers. This hint at a potentially potent threat caused the NYPD to maintain constant surveillance of their property in the subsequent weeks.
The investigation led to the swift arrests of the initial two suspects linked to the crime. Rodriguez, aged 20 at the time and living blocks away from the scene on Broadway was arrested, along with a 19-year-old alleged lookout from Wayne Terrace, about a mile from the restaurant. A third, older suspect, supposedly part of the Latin Kings street gang, was presumed to be the mastermind and might have been the murderer.
Demonstrable proof in the form of written confirmations and videographed admissions by Rodriguez were presented to the jury during the trial. However, the defence held that these confessions were forcefully obtained by the NYPD.
The survivor has fragmented memories of his hospital trip prior to regaining full consciousness and awareness. The restaurant experienced a decline in patronage due to its association with a violent crime. Despite recovery in business, the mental distress of conducting daily activities where he witnessed his friend’s murder was too overwhelming for the survivor.
A diligent businessman and a father, the survivor continues to struggle with unanswered thoughts about that harrowed night – questions about what could have played out differently to prevent the loss. Over time, nightmares and mental breakdowns have led to a post-traumatic stress disorder diagnosis. Mark LaManna’s funeral was attended by a massive crowd of mourners at Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church in West Brighton. Various Forest Avenue business owners, including those of Pal Joey’s, Duffy’s and Jody’s, who had grown up together, expressed their hardened desire for justice in the form of capital punishment.
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