Seven people are facing charges nearly 20 months after they allegedly beat two men they claimed kidnapped children from a South Salt Lake home during a late-night party.
David James "DJ" Bell, 31, was accused of taking two children, ages 2 and 4, from his next-door neighbor's home to his home on the morning of July 4, 2008. Bell, who is gay, said the children's mother confronted him, called him a pedophile and threatened to bring others to the home, he said.
A short time later, Bell said, the group arrived and severely beat him and his partner, Daniel Fair.
Bell was charged and ultimately acquitted of kidnapping and burglary in the incident. On Tuesday, the Salt Lake County Attorney's Office filed charges related to the assault on Bell and Fair.
Lisa Rita Aiona, 26; Angelina Janae Dibella, 31; Marsha Rae Finau, 30; Tapululululu Latu, 30; Ieti David Mageo, 33; Ietitaia Tavita Nuusila, 26; and 33-year-old Ricky Ian Peace are each charged with one count of third-degree felony riot.
Mageo, Nuusila and Peace also face one first-degree felony count of aggravated assault and aggravated burglary. Nuusila also was charged with class A misdemeanor counts of assault and false information to an officer, and Dibella also faces class A misdemeanor assault.
One of Bell's attorneys, Susanne Gustin, said her client is happy with the severity of the charges.
"Dan and DJ have waited a long time for this day to come," she said.
According to Bell, he was confronted at home on the morning of July 4 by the children's mother, Latu, who hit him, screamed obscenities and called him a pedophile. She then allegedly threatened to return to his home with other family members.
Bell and Fair then locked the doors to their house. A short time later, charging documents state, several people broke in.
Bell said he was pulled from the house by his hair and body-slammed to the ground. He said a woman cut his neck and chest with a piece of glass. Another woman allegedly kicked him in the forehead.
Fair told police Mageo, Peace and Nuusila came into the house and punched him and hit him with a chair, a frying pan and a television monitor, charging documents state. Peace also allegedly threw a salt shaker at his head.
Fair had deep cuts to the head that required staples, a fractured eye socket, a fractured hand, a broken nose and a concussion, charging documents state.
When police arrived, Nuusila allegedly lied about his name. He also later admitted he had chased Bell into the backyard, where he and others hit Bell, documents state. Peace said he entered Bell's house through the basement and fought with Bell and Fair, charging document state.
Most of the charges filed Tuesday were elevated by one degree because they involved two or more people.
Bell was charged with two first-degree felony counts of child kidnapping and one second-degree felony count of burglary. The case went to court and after a four-day trial in September, and a jury acquitted him.
