Pa. police chief charged with obstructing justice in immigrant’s beating death granted bail

Pa. chief accused of cover-up in beating gets bail

SCRANTON, Pa. — A police chief charged with obstructing justice in the fatal beating of a Mexican immigrant by white teenagers in northeastern Pennsylvania can be released from jail until his trial.

A federal judge granted bail to Shenandoah police Chief Matthew Nestor on Thursday. Nestor and two other officers are accused of orchestrating a cover-up as the FBI investigated the fatal attack on Luis Ramirez in July 2008.

Two teens were convicted of assault in Ramirez’s death. They also face federal hate crime charges.

Nestor is also awaiting trial in another case. Prosecutors charged him and another officer in December with extorting cash payoffs from illegal gambling operations and a local businessman.

The other officers charged have been released on home confinement.